Review of Detective Byomkesh Bakshy! (2015) by Kunal K — 07 Apr 2015

After spilling forth a slew of nonsensical films, Bollywood suddenly springs up an original surprise. Detective Byomkesh Bakshy sets out leisurely and hauntingly as a murder mystery and unravels into something of Sherlock vs Jim Moriarty of sorts.

The direction is deliberate, the pacing slow and incredibly intense with close attention to detail. Enchanting backdrops of colonial Calcutta, a beautiful background score spruced up with an occasional heavy metal number and the absolutely brilliant cinematography ensure that even the most lazy cinema goer would be hooked.

Sushant Singh slides into his role with ease, playing the amateur detective along with his erring sidekick. But the real star of the film is Neeraj Kabi who shines as the maniacal arch nemesis. The film has its issues though.

Many times one feels the narrative is cut short. The Bengali accent is evident in only few of the entire cast and that I felt was the major flaw. The whole threat of imminent war sounds too simple to be true.

Leaving aside these minor glitches the film is a treat to watch especially with its graphic novel kind of treatment. As we gear up for a sequel terrifyingly brought on by our arch nemesis' horrifying display of blade work and exquisitely shot gore reminiscent of 300; I only hope that the sequel matches up to its predecessor.