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Satyenweshi Byomkesh Bakshi | |
---|---|
Byomkesh character | |
First appearance | Pather Kanta (1932) |
Last appearance | Bishupal Bodh (1970) |
Created by | Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay |
Portrayed by |
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In-universe information | |
Full name | Byomkesh Bakshi |
Title | Satyanweshi |
Occupation | Private investigator |
Spouse | Satyabati (Wife) |
Children | Khoka (Son) |
Religion | Hinduism |
Home | Harrison Road |
Nationality | Indian |
Friend | Ajit Kumar Bandopadhyay |
Byomkesh Bakshi is an Indian-Bengali fictional detective created by Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay. Referring to himself as a "truth-seeker" or Satyanweshi in the stories, Bakshi is known for his proficiency with observation, logical reasoning, and forensic science which he uses to solve complicated cases, usually murders, occurring in Calcutta.
Byomkesh's first appearance is in the story "Pother Kanta", where he demonstrates the strength of fundamental logical deduction and systematic reasoning in establishing circumstantial evidence. However, his formal introduction is in "Satyanweshi", his third story, a murder mystery involving cocaine trafficking. In this story, Byomkesh adopts the alias Atul Chandra Mitra and meets Ajit Bandyopadhyay, a writer who would become his close companion and the narrator of the Byomkesh stories
Byomkesh's names have evolved in Bengali vernacular to denote individuals who exemplify keen intelligence and acute observation. The character has had a profound influence and legacy, playing a crucial role in the development of detective fiction in India, a genre that often remains underrepresented in the international literary scene. [1] [2]
Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay's most well known fictional character Byomkesh Bakshi first appeared as a character in the story Satyanweshi (The Inquisitor). The story is set in 1932 in the Chinabazar area of Kolkata where a 'non-government detective' Byomkesh Bakshi, owing to the permission from the police commissioner, starts living in a mess in that area under the pseudonym of Atul Chandra Mitra to probe a series of murders.
Most of the stories are written from Ajit Kumar Banerjee's perspective, who meets Byomkesh in the mess at Chinabazar. Byomkesh later asks Ajit to live with him at his three-story rented house at Harrison Road as his assistant and chronicler. The only other person in his household is his attendant Putiram.
In the beginning of the stories, Byomkesh Bakshi is described as "a man of twenty-three or twenty-four years of age who looked well educated." Byomkesh is a Hindu and wears mostly a white shirt/kurta with a white dhoti, occasionally draping a shawl. He does not live in luxury but possesses numerous books. He travels frequently, and does not own a gun and does not consider himself to be an "expensive helper". He habitually smokes and drinks tea with milk. He is fluent in Bengali, Hindi, and English. Byomkesh does not like being called a detective, and thinks the word 'investigator' even worse. Thus, he fashions a new name for himself which he inscribes on a brass plate in front of his house. The plaque read "Byomkesh Bakshi: Satyanweshi" (The Inquisitor).
Unlike other lead characters in similar detective fictional stories, Byomkesh Bakshi marries, ages, and also contemplates material things such as buying a car. Later, he also decides to buy land in Keyatala in South Kolkata and shifts to his new home. Byomkesh meets Satyabati, his future wife and the accused Sukumar's sister, in 'Arthamanartham'. The story 'Adim Ripu' provides some information about Byomkesh's early childhood. His father Mahadev Bakshi was a mathematics teacher at a school and practised Sankhya philosophy at home while his mother was the daughter of a Vaishnavite. When Byomkesh was seventeen years old, his parents died of tuberculosis. Later, Byomkesh passed University with scholarship. During the Second World War and after India's independence, Byomkesh, Satyabati and Ajit live in the mess house of Harrison Road. Byomkesh gradually ages through the series, and has a son called Khoka (Little Boy) in the series.
From 1932 until his death in 1970, Saradindu Bandopadhyay wrote 32 Byomkesh Bakshi stories. Initially, Byomkesh's close friend and chronicler, Ajit Kumar Banerjee, serves as both companion and occasional investigator in Byomkesh's absence, as seen in stories like Makorshar Rosh and Shoilo Rahasya. While early tales use traditional Bengali, the language transitions to a more conversational style in later works. Notably, in later stories such as Room Nombor Dui, Chhlonar Chhondo, Shajarur Kanta, Benisonghaar, and Lohar Biskut, Ajit is absent as he focuses on his publication business.
The stories vary widely in their depiction of crime—from complex drug networks, as in Satyanweshi, to domestic mysteries like Arthamanartham and Makorshar Rosh. Though Bandopadhyay ceased writing Byomkesh stories between 1938 and 1951 while working in Bombay's film industry, public demand led him to resume with Chitrachor (Picture Imperfect) in 1951. His last story, Bishupal Badh (The Killing of Bishupal), was left incomplete upon his passing in 1970. [3] [4]
Novel/Story | Year of publication |
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Satyanweshi | 1932 |
Pother Kanta | 1932 |
Seemanto-heera | 1932 |
Makorshar Rosh | 1933 |
Arthamanartham | 1933 |
Chorabali | 1933 |
Agniban | 1935 |
Uposonghaar | 1935 |
Raktomukhi Neela | 1936 |
Byomkesh O Boroda | 1936 |
Chitrochor | 1951 |
Durgo Rahasya | 1952 |
Chiriyakhana | 1953 |
Adim Ripu | 1955 |
Banhi-patanga | 1956 |
Rokter Daag | 1956 |
Monimondon | 1958 |
Amriter Mrityu | 1959 |
Shailo Rahasya | 1959 |
Achin Pakhi | 1960 |
Kohen Kobi Kalidas | 1961 |
Adrishyo Trikon | 1961 |
Khuji Khuji Nari | 1961 |
Adwitiyo | 1961 |
Mognomoinak | 1963 |
Dushtochokro | 1963 |
Henyalir Chhondo | 1964 |
Room Nombor Dui | 1964 |
Cholonar Chhondo | 1965 |
Shajarur Kanta | 1967 |
Benishonghar | 1968 |
Lohar Biskut | 1969 |
Bishupal Bodh (unfinished) | 1970 |
The stories have been adapted into several television series, radio programs, audio dramas, films, and video games.
Chiriyakhana (1967) is an Indian Bengali-language crime thriller film based on the story of the same name, directed by Satyajit Ray and written by Bandyopadhyay and Ray, it starred Uttam Kumar as Byomkesh Bakshi.
The 1993–97 Byomkesh Bakshi television series, created by Basu Chatterjee, and starring Rajit Kapur as Byomkesh Bakshi, and K.K. Raina as Ajit respectively, became one of the most critically acclaimed and celebrated adaptation of the character. [5] These television series are cast by Doordarshan.
There have been 20 Byomkesh Bakshi films, with Abir Chatterjee portraying the detective in seven of them.
The Satyanweshi audio drama series, created by actor Aneesh See Yay, adapted twenty-two Byomkesh Bakshi novels and produced eight original audio dramas in Malayalam. [6]
In 2014, Colors Bangla aired a TV series titled Byomkesh , starring Gourav Chakrabarty as Byomkesh and Ridhima Ghosh as Satyabati. Produced by Dag Creative Media, the series was well received by audiences.
In 2015, the Bollywood film Detective Byomkesh Bakshy! featured Sushant Singh Rajput as the lead, bringing Byomkesh to a national audience.
Byomkesh was also referenced in The Big Bang Theory Season 7, Episode 18, where Sherlock Holmes is humorously dubbed the "English Byomkesh Bakshi."
Anupam Roy refers to Byomkesh Bakshi in his song "Kolkata", for the Bengali film Praktan .
Radio Mirchi’s Sunday Suspense has adapted several Byomkesh stories, including Satyanweshi, Pather Kanta, and Durgo Rahasya, with RJ Mir initially voicing Byomkesh, later replaced by Gourav Chakrabarty following Mir's departure. [7]
Feluda is a fictional detective, private investigator created by Indian director and writer Satyajit Ray. Feluda resides at 21 Rajani Sen Road, Ballygunge, Calcutta, West Bengal, India. Feluda first made his appearance in a Bengali children's magazine called Sandesh in 1965, under the editorialship of Ray and Subhas Mukhopadhyay. His first adventure was Feludar Goendagiri. Feluda is one of the most impactful Bengali characters of all time.
Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay was an Indian Bengali-language writer. He was actively involved with Bengali cinema as well as Bollywood. The creator of the Bengali detective Byomkesh Bakshi, Sharadindu composed stories of a wide array of varieties including: novels, short stories, crime and detective stories, plays and screenplays. He wrote historical fiction like Kaler Mandira, Gourmollar, Tumi Sandhyar Megh, Tungabhadrar Teere, Chuya-Chandan, Maru O Sangha, Sadashib series and stories of the unnatural with the recurring character Baroda. Besides, he composed many songs and poems.
Pother Kanta also spelled Pather Kanta, is a detective story written by Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay featuring the Bengali detective Byomkesh Bakshi and his friend, assistant, and narrator Ajit Bandyopadhyay. It is one of the first forays that Sharadindu took in the realm of creating a mature logical detective moulded in the pattern of Sherlock Holmes in the Bengali language, and one that Bengalis could immediately identify with. As such, it is not as well-drawn out as some of Sharadindu's later works and relies heavily on Sherlock Holmes and Holmesian deductive reasoning for inspiration.
Byomkesh Bakshi is an Indian Bengali-language crime drama film about the exploits of the fictional detective Byomkesh Bakshi. It is directed by Anjan Dutt and produced by Kaustuv Ray. The film was released on 13 August 2010 and spawned five sequels till date, including Abar Byomkesh (2012), Byomkesh Phire Elo (2014), Byomkesh Bakshi (2015), Byomkesh O Chiriyakhana (2016) and Byomkesh O Agnibaan (2017).
Byomkesh Bakshi is an Indian-Bengali detective character created by Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay. Referring himself as "truth-seeker" or Satyanweshi in the stories, Bakshi is known for his proficiency with observation, logical reasoning, and forensic science which he uses to solve complicated cases, usually murders occurred. Bakshi, initially appearing in the 1932 story Satyanweshi, the character's popularity immensely increased in Bengal and other parts of India.
Byomkesh Phire Elo is a 2014 Indian mystery thriller film based on the Bengali fictional detective Byomkesh Bakshi, released on 19 December 2014. The film is directed by Anjan Dutt. This is the third installment of Byomkesh series by Anjan Dutt, serving as a sequel to Byomkesh Bakshi and Abar Byomkesh. The film is based on Beni Sanghar by Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay.
Shajarur Kanta is a 2015 Byomkesh Bakshi mystery film based on the novel of same name by Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay. The film is directed by Saibal Mitra, and produced by Pradip Churiwal and Saikat Mitra. It is the second Shajarur Kanta film adaptation in Bengali, the other being the 1974 film of same name.
Magno Mainak is a 2009 crime thriller based on the novel of the same name by Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay. It was directed by Swapan Ghosal and produced by New Wave Communications.
Byomkesh Bakshi is a Hindi television series based on the fictional detective Byomkesh Bakshi character created by Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay. The series stars Rajit Kapur and K.K. Raina as Byomkesh Bakshi and Ajit Kumar Banerjee, respectively. It features music and background score from Ananda Shankar. Upon release it became critically acclaimed. It has been re-telecast on DD National from 28 March 2020 during the lockdown of 21 days due to coronavirus.
Byomkesh was a 2014 Indian Bengali crime fiction television series based on the Bengali sleuth Byomkesh Bakshi created by Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay. The series starred Gaurav Chakrabarty, Saugata Bandyopadhyay and Ridhima Ghosh as Byomkesh Bakshi, Ajit and Satyabati respectively. The series premiered on 20 November 2014 on Colors Bangla channel and ended on 14 November 2015. This series is re-runned on 4 March 2024. The first episode was narrated by Sabyasachi Chakrabarty.
Satyanweshi also spelled Satyanveshi, is a detective story written by Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay featuring the Bengali detective Byomkesh Bakshi and his friend, assistant, and narrator Ajit Bandyopadhyay. It is the first Byomkesh adventure written by Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay.
Shajarur Kanta is a Bengali mystery novel written by Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay in 1967. The murderer kills people using porcupine quills thrust from behind into the heart.
Durgo Rahasya is an adventure detective novel written in 1952 by Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay.
Byomkesh Bakshi a Bengali detective thriller film about the Bengali fictional detective Byomkesh Bakshi, released on 16 October 2015. The film is directed by Anjan Dutt. This is the fourth installment of the Byomkesh series by Anjan Dutt. The film is based on Kohen Kobi Kalidas by Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay. Unlike the previous three installments, Jisshu Sengupta portrayed the character Bakshi in this film, replacing Abir Chatterjee.
Har Har Byomkesh is a 2015 Indian Bengali mystery thriller film directed by Arindam Sil. The film is based on the fictional detective Byomkesh Bakshi, created by the Bengali writer Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay. The film stars Abir Chatterjee as the eponymous sleuth, while Ritwick Chakraborty enacts the role of his assistant Ajit Bandopadhyay and Sohini Sarkar helm in the shoes of Satyabati. The teaser of the film was released on 11 October 2015. The trailer was launched on 15 October 2015. The film was released on 18 December 2015.
Byomkesh O Chiriyakhana is a 2016 Indian Thriller film on Bengali fictional detective Byomkesh Bakshi. The role of Byomkesh Bakshi is portrayed by Jisshu Sengupta. The film is directed by Anjan Dutt. This is the fifth installment of Byomkesh series by Anjan Dutt, serving as a sequel to Byomkesh Bakshi. The film is based on Chiriyakhana by Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay.
Byomkesh O Agniban (2017) is a Bengali-language Detective thriller film directed by Anjan Dutt and produced by Kaustav Roy and Ashok Dhanuka. The movie features Jisshu Sengupta as the sleuth Byomkesh Bakshi. This is based on compilation of the stories Agniban and Upasanghar written by Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay. This is the sixth installment of Byomkesh series by Anjan Dutt, serving as a sequel to Byomkesh O Chiriyakhana.
Byomkesh is a Bengali streaming television series based on the Byomkesh Bakshi character created by Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay. Set in the 1930s, the series is based on the adventures of Byomkesh, and his friend and biographer Ajit, who usually accompanies Bakshi during his investigations. Anirban Bhattacharya portrays the lead role of Byomkesh, with Subrat Dutta in the role of Byomkesh's trusted friend-turned-aide, Ajit. The first episode premiered on Saturday, 14 October 2017, being the first Byomkesh series to be available on OTT platform hoichoi worldwide.
Makorshar Rosh is a 1933 Bengali detective story written by Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay. It is part of the famous Byomkesh Bakshi series and follows the exploits of the detective Byomkesh Bakshi, who along with his friend and chronicler Ajit Bandyopadhyay, solves a complex mystery involving an unusual addiction.
Chitrachor, meaning The Picture Thief, is a detective novella by Bengali author Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay. First published in 1951, it is one of the stories featuring the sleuth Byomkesh Bakshi, who is often referred to as Satyanweshi or the truth-seeker.