Kissa Kathmandu Kaa Kissa Kathmandu Kaa (Season 1, Episode 1)
TV Episode | Thriller

Kissa Kathmandu Kaa

Kissa Kathmandu Kaa (Season 1, Episode 1)

TV Episode | Thriller

The year was 1985. The series - Satyajit Presents I - was introduced on the small screen based on famous literary works of the master filmmaker. It was an instant hit and a unanimous decision was taken to come up with Part II the following...See moreThe year was 1985. The series - Satyajit Presents I - was introduced on the small screen based on famous literary works of the master filmmaker. It was an instant hit and a unanimous decision was taken to come up with Part II the following year. Back then, Ray used to select the stories, write the script and even score the music. He said Feluda could be made for national television and finally zeroed in on Kissa Kathmandu Ka based on his Jato Kando Kathmandute . Since it was for Doordarshan, considering his height and facial features, Amitabh Bachchan was the first choice for Feluda. The shooting schedule was long and spanned across Kolkata and Kathmandu. The thriller about busting of an international drug racket had to climax in Kathmandu and before that, there were shoots in many places in Kolkata. Initially thought to be an eight-part series, it needed a little less than a month from the megastar. Bachchan was caught up with films and it didn't work out with him. So, the team shot a letter to Shashi Kapoor, who gave his nod. Shashi, who was born in Kolkata, had a strong connect with the city and for him it was a homecoming of sorts. Sandip Ray, who directed the actor in the series, recalled, "He wanted to know the concept and it was communicated to him through a chain of letters. He got hooked to it on hearing that it was about the busting of a drug racket. He felt it was an important issue and wanted to be a part of it." The shoot's biggest challenge was to make Shashi Kapoor look like Feluda, Bengal's iconic sleuth with an athletic figure and enormous physical strength. The actor was in his late 40s and had to shed a few kilos for the part. "He couldn't do that. But he made up for it with his powerful acting. He was with us throughout. Baba had sent him a write-up on how he conceived Feluda and that helped Shashiji. The other challenge was that he refused to smoke the Charminar that was more of a character trait for the detective. He had quit smoking before that and said he'd rather stay away. He was propagating anti-smoking in his own way and we didn't mind. It was for national television and some relaxations could be made," said Sandip Ray. The series was made keeping the national audience in mind and didn't echo any Bengali sentiment. So, Jatayu's quirks couldn't be translated verbatim. "Baba wrote the script in English and later it was turned into Hindi," remembered Sandip Ray. A huge unit went to Kathmandu to shoot. Alankar Joshi played Topshe and Mohan Agashe got into the shoes of Jatayu; Maganlal Meghraj was none other than Utpal Dutt. "The Kapoors had been close to the Rays for decades and I knew him when he did movies for Merchant Ivory like The Householder , Shakespeare Wallah and others. Whenever we would go to Bombay, he used to come down to meet us with Jennifer (Kendal). We were always in touch. Every time he would come to Kolkata, he used to put up at the Fairlawn Hotel. Before the shoot he asked us to make arrangements for him at the hotel. We did that," he said. But directing the star was a difficult proposition. "I was naturally scared as Shashiji was a big star. But he came to the sets sans any starry baggage and handling him was the easiest thing to do. He was a thorough professional, who was also very warm and affectionate. He used to come bang on time and was the same with the directorial team as he was with the spot boy. He treated everyone equally, reason, he was loved by all and sundry." hashi Kapoor was close to Satyajit Ray and came to see him after he underwent a bypass surgery and even later when he was bedridden. But there were no plans to develop the series further. "In 1987, Baba made the documentary on Sukumar Ray and got busy with films thereafter," he said. Though the series was received well nationally, the response in Kolkata was lukewarm. "Even while working on the series I could understand that there will be issues in Kolkata. The story was exciting and the performances splendid, but it was different from the way we had seen Feluda so far. Sonar Kella and Joi Baba Felunath had happened before the miniseries and the perception of Feluda was already created. So, I was iffy about Kolkata. But Shashiji was very happy, we were in touch while editing and dubbing that took place in Mumbai. It was shot on 35mm, which means the treatment was that of a film," he added. The last time Sandip Ray met the actor was in the early 2000s, when he visited their Bishop Lefroy Road residence one more time. "Baba had left us and Shashiji came to gift a book on Prithvi Theatre to my mother. That's the last time we spoke though I would get updates on his health frequently," said the director. Though Shashi Kapoor was unlike any other screen Feluda, he owned the role when he played it. "Maybe it was tough to accept a Feluda who was not a Bengali, but he internalised the sleuth and did it his way. He would do his homework and come to the sets fully prepared .He was also very down to earth. A technically sound actor, the team didn't need to take down notes on continuity with him around. Despite being a star he worked for a much lesser remuneration. But he was as committed to it as he would be for the silver screen," said Sandip Ray. Room No. 17 at Fairlawn Hotel on Sudder Street is rather basic with one bed, a small seating arrangement, an AC and a mini-fridge. But its walls have been silent spectators of an era in Indian cinema. This is where Shashi Kapoor would put up every time he came to the city. Remembered Rabindranath Paul, who worked as a manager at the hotel from 1983-2005, "The last time he came here was in 2005. The day before leaving, he forced me to come with him for a Shakespearean play. On one of his stays, he gifted a Ganesh idol made of silver to my wife, which we worship every day. He was an amiable man, who treated everyone equally. When asked what made him choose Fairlawn, he reasoned since the hotel was a hotspot for foreigners, not many would identify him. But then, because of his English films, many did." Shashi and his bride too put up at the hotel for a month after their wedding. "There were rumours of stiff resistance from his father (Prithviraj Kapoor), who was not ready to accept a British bahu, but no one prodded deeper," recalled the retired manager. Vishal Gharai, a chef at the hotel, who had served the star from breakfast to dinner, said, "He was well acquainted with my father, who would share his recipes with the actor. Once he gifted my father a towel set. I have not seen a friendlier man." The staff members added that every time Shashi Kapoor would come to stay at the hotel, journalists would queue up outside. "They would get a whiff of his visit," said Rabindranath. The room where he stayed is now named after him. It's called The Shashi Kapoor Room. Written by [email protected] See less

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Cast	+ Add Cast
5 cast members

Name	Known for
Shashi Kapoor Feluda Feluda See fewer	Deewaar (1975)
Alankar Joshi Topshe Topshe See fewer	Sholay (1975)
Mohan Agashe Jatayu Jatayu See fewer	Toofaan (2021)
Utpal Dutt Maganlal Meghraj Maganlal Meghraj See fewer	The Stranger (1991)
Pankaj Kapur Actor Actor See fewer	Maqbool (2003)