I am missing playing Feluda: Abir Chatterjee

Actor Abir Chatterjee, who is being praised for his toned body, has been shooting for his new Byomkesh Bakshi film, Byomkesh Pawrbo, without a break. But that doesn’t mean he is not missing playing Feluda.

Abir, who played Satyajit Ray’s iconic creation, Feluda, in Sandip Ray’s Badshahi Angti (2014), has been replaced by Sabyasachi Chakraborty in Ray’s upcoming double Feluda film. Abir, who is excited about reprising the role of the dhoti-clad Bengali detective Byomkesh Bakshi in Arindam Sil’s next Byomkesh Pawrbo, says, “I am missing Feluda. It’s a great franchise. But as a mature individual, I know how to let go. It was a learning experience.”

Sabyasachi, who has earlier portrayed the detective in several Feluda films, returns as the new Feluda as Ray thought there will be an identity crisis since Abir was playing both Feluda and Byomkesh on celluloid.

Abir informs that Ray’s family is very dear to him and there’s no bad blood between them. “I have met Babu da (as Sandip Ray is fondly known in the Bengali film industry) and our personal relationship is just fine. He is family to me. It was a technical decision and we have spoken about it,” smiles Abir.

Just before starting shooting for the new Byomkesh film, Abir had wrapped up the shooting of Anindya Ghosh’s new film, Thammar Boyfriend, starring veteran actress Sabitri Chatterjee. The film, essentially a comedy, also carries a strong social message about the elderly. Abir says he is fortunate to have shared screen space with yesteryear actress Sabitri Chatterjee, who has acted in superhit films such as Nishi Padma, Dhanyee Meye and Bhrantibilas.

Read: Bitten by the Byomkesh bug

“Everyone know about Sabudi’s (Sabitri Chatterjee is affectionately addressed as Sabudi in Tollywood) comic timing. Generation after generation has witnessed her impeccable comic timing. I never thought I would be acting alongside her. She is very friendly,” he says.

Interestingly, at a time when Abir is working with senior directors like Srijit Mukherji, Kaushik Ganguly, Atanu Ghosh and Arindam Sil, he is also working with young directors like Manoj Michigan, Anindya and Abir Sengupta. “I think this is a good balance. This way, I am getting to play interesting characters. Also, the interpretations of the various directors are helping me brush my acting skills,” he says as he flashes his trademark dimple smile.