Dibakar buys rights to all of Byomkesh Bakshi’s stories

Banerjee and Yash Raj Films apparently spend around Rs8-10 crore for 30 detective tales.

It’s a known fact that Bengali writer Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay’s famous fictional detective, Byomkesh Bakshi, is set to hit the silver screen as filmmaker Dibakar Banerjee and Yash Raj Films (YRF) are set to make a film titled, Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!

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Now, we have been told that Dibakar and YRF have officially bought the entire library of Byomkesh’s stories. The deal has been struck for about Rs8-10 crore. In effect, from now on, no one would be able to take up or use any of Byomkesh’s stories in any language except Bengali.

“Yes, we have bought all 30 stories. We have left Bengali out of respect to the writer (Bandyopadhyay) and Bengali people,” says Banerjee.

He adds, “The idea is to ensure that no one else makes a film on Byomkesh till I am done with my franchise or series. If I don’t do that, someone else will pick up another story from the series. So there will be multiple Byomkeshs. It will ultimately be confusing and detrimental to my film and character’s image in the public’s eyes.”

At the same time, the makers are also planning to turn the stories into graphic novels. “It’s a dream that we are working on. Right now, I can only say that much,” says the director.

Set in 1942, the film, starring Sushant Singh Rajput as Byomkesh, will show a war-torn Kolkata during the ’40s as it follows the first adventure of Byomkesh, who is fresh out of college. The period thriller will hit theatres in December next year.