I knew that Feluda has been brought to life across a range of media (Films, TV, Radio, Web Series, Cartoons shows, Comic books) but didn’t know till recently that there was a stage adaptation as well. Interestingly, the story adapted was the one relates to theatres - Apsara Theatre-er Mamla - quite apt, isn’t it? Feluda steps in when an actor of Apsara theatre group goes missing. As the group scrambles to put together a new production, the lead actor is found murdered.
Charbak’s stage adaptation of the Satyajit Ray story is a one-hour-50-minute play, directed by Sabyasachi. The play starred Sabyasachi as Feluda and his son Gaurav as Topshe. Subir Roy Chowdhury played Jatayu. It was released in Jan 2008, around the same time as Kailashe Kelenkari. The script was written by actor Arindam Ganguly.
Here’s how the stage adaptation came about in Sabyasachi’s own words:
• What motivated you to take Feluda to the stage?
The executive committee of Charbak suggested we do a Feluda story. We decided on Apsara Theatre-er Mamla. Since Feluda stories are largely travelogue thrillers, it’s difficult to adapt them. But the plot of Apsara is suitable for stage adaptations. Also, Babuda (Sandip Ray) assured us that he had no intention of adapting it on screen.
• What is the plot all about?
It’s about a theatre group that is gearing up to stage a play called Chhannochhara. The team has several junior artistes, including actresses. But all of a sudden, one of the junior artistes disappears and a senior actor is murdered. Two actresses are suspected. Then, Feluda steps in. It is easy to adapt this story for the stage because Feluda solves the mystery sitting at home, nursing an injury. The play is in whodunnit format. There are several suggestive scenes — murder on the street, driving a car and a lakeside.
• What was Sandip Ray’s reaction to the staging of Feluda?
We took his permission. Actor Arindam Ganguly has written the script; we showed the synopsis to Babuda. He told us to retain the Feluda flavour and not distort the script. We haven’t taken too many liberties; we have added a song-and-dance sequence and a few female characters.
I was wondering if it is still being staged as I would love to watch it. But it looks like that will sadly not happen. In 2012, Feluda was in the mood to hang up his stage chappals - after ‘retiring’ from Sandip Ray’s screen series. “We’ve had 50-plus shows and I am not too keen on staging it anymore as I am ageing and I have a belly! Nobody wants to see an old Feluda,” said Sabyasachi. I do hope if they have it recorded on video - they can consider an online release later then.
But there is hope still. Given Sabyasachi came back as Feluda on the silver screen for Double Feluda in 2017, so maybe there is a chance he will reprise the role again onstage. A decade after Apsara Theate-er Mamla debuted on stage, the father-son duo shared screen space in a Feluda movie. Sabyasachi returned to reprise the role of Feluda in Double Feluda - the tribute movie celebrating 50 years of the mogojastro wielding goyenda. The movie featured 2 stories on either side of the interval - Samaddarer Chabi and Golokdham Rahasya. In Golokdham Rahasya, Gaurav plays the assistant to an elderly scientist with poor eyesight.