Sandip Ray solves Feluda mystery

KOLKATA: All's well that ends well. The confusion over the Feluda web series has been sorted after the Bangladeshi producer came down to Kolkata and met director Sandip Ray. Directed by Parambrata Chattopadhyay, the first season of the web series starring Parambrata and Riddhi Sen will be launched by addatimes.com in India.
Last year, Ray had sold the rights of 35 Feluda stories for making a television series in Bangladesh.On Tuesday, he reacted after seeing an online teaser of a Bengali web series on Feluda that was uploaded by Addatimes.com. Confused over the issue of rights, he immediately called up Shahriar Shakil of Kandy Productions Ltd. and asked him to come down to Kolkata to sort out the matter. Said Ray, "Shahriar met me on Friday evening. We had a discussion regarding the web series. Finally, we reached a solution. It has been decided that the web series will be done on the Feluda stories that I have already adapted for television or the big screen. For the rest, work can begin only after we have a mutual discussion on them."
After the meeting with Ray, Shakil told TOI that in the first season four Feluda stories - 'Sheyal Debota Rahasya' and 'Ghurghutiyar Ghatona', 'Golokdham Rahasya' and 'Gangtoke Gondogol' - will be adapted for Bangladesh television and web series. "We have been given the rights for adapting all the stories for Bangladesh television and the digital worldwide rights. Work will first begin on those stories that Ray has already adapted. Ray has already adapted 21 stories," Shakil said.
Founder of Addatimes App Rajiv Mehra is relieved that the problem has been sorted. "We will release the series in India in the first week of September," Mehra said.
Ray was also asked to direct some seasons of the web series. "But I didn't agree to that. I have a different sensibility that will not match with that of the youngsters. It will look very out of place. Let us see how the new brigade works," Ray said.
On being asked about making a contemporary version of Feluda like the one in the web series who hits the gym as well as smokes Charminar, Ray said, "It's not that I haven't incorporated the contemporary elements in my Feluda films. Mobiles have made an entry. So has the computer."
Hasn't Ray had to answer questions on why Parambrata and not they got priority to direct Feluda? "No. In fact, nobody from Kolkata has ever asked for Feluda rights. I am open to giving rights for Feluda in Hindi. Pradeep Sarkar is doing a film inspired by Sonar Kella," he said. After the Feluda web series hits Bengal, is he open to selling the rights for Bengali film adaptations? "No, I wouldn't want to do that now. The web series seems like a long-term project. It wouldn't be right to have so many Feludas that we reach a saturation point," Ray concluded.