Detective Byomkesh Bakshy: Make way for Bollywood's new action hero; less of brawn, more of brain

He doesn't flex muscles, neither does he sport six pack abs, doesn't romance the heroine-is rather awkward around them and yet there is this undeniable charm that Dibakar Banerjee's hero Byomkesh has.

There are spoilers in the story. In case you haven't watched the film yet, please come back to it later.

Played by Sushant Singh Rajput, Banerjee's latest 'Detective Byomkesh Bakshy' gives Bollywood an uncanny action hero who uses his brain more than brawn. In an age where six pack abs and flexing muscles is the norm, Banerjee makes the viewer time travel to 1940s era where a young 24 year old Bengali stumbles upon a murder case and realize he has a ticking time bomb in his hand for a case which has the potential to ruin Calcutta. The young good jobless man may not be too clear about where the case is heading, tends to jump into conclusions and even falters at times- but with a razor sharp brain Byomkesh manages to stand out.

Banerjee makes the popular detective, who most of us have grown up idolizing thanks to the TV series which featured Rajit Kapoor, very humane and very real.

Byomkesh is not a hero. He is, in fact, a far cry from the usual Bollywood action hero who fights the goons and charms the heroine with equal ease. Bakshy, instead looks down at the floor when a woman tries to seduce him, throws up at the sight of blood and dead bodies, and fumbles around nervously near dead bodies. He doesn't have all the answers to the mystery at once. Funnily, he even faints and let others fight the bad man in the end- only to wake up later and witness the aftermath that his friend and assistant Ajit created.

While a lot of credit should be given to the writers for making Byomkesh's character so believable, it is worthy to mention here that actor Sushant Singh Rajput plays it with utmost conviction. Getting the gawky characteristics to perfection, not once does Rajput let the star stand out more than the actor in his performance. It is a far cry from the roles he has played on screen so far and in addition belongs to a certain period which demands very distinct mannerisms. And Rajput doesn't falter.

While the overall screenplay of the film could be a lot more gripping and thereby increasing the pace of story telling, I'd say that Bakshy's character is very well etched. It is a welcome change to witness a dhoti-clad bhadralok fighting the villain and saving Kolkata in his own charming way.