Draft:Kohen Kobi Kalidas (Thus Spoke the Poet Kalidasa)

This page is about the Byomkesh Bakshi story by Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay. For the detective, see Byomkesh Bakshi.

Kohen Kobi Kalidas

Author	Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay
Original title	কোহেন কবি কালিদাস
Language	Bengali
Series	Byomkesh Bakshi
Genre	Detective, Crime, Mystery
Publisher	P.C. Sorkar and Sons also anthologized by Ananda Publishers
Publication date	1961
Publication place	India
Media type	Print (Hardback & Paperback)
Preceded by	Achin Pakhi
Followed by	Adrishyo Trikon

Kohen Kobi Kalidas (Bengali: কোহেন কবি কালিদাস), translated as Thus Spoke the Poet Kalidasa, is a 1961 Bengali detective novel by Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay. It is part of the famous Byomkesh Bakshi series and follows the exploits of the detective Byomkesh Bakshi, who along with his friend and chronicler Ajit Bandyopadhyay, solves mysteries in Kolkata and beyond. The story is notable for its setting in a coal-mining town and its exploration of crime, mystery, and complex human emotions.

Plot

Byomkesh Bakshi and Ajit Bandyopadhyay are invited by Manish Chakraborty, the owner of a coal mine, to investigate a series of mysterious accidents and disturbances in his mine. To maintain secrecy, Byomkesh takes on the alias Gaganbabu, and Ajit adopts the name Sujitbabu. They soon discover that the coal mine disturbances are tied to a much deeper and more dangerous plot involving murder and deception.

Phanish Chakraborty, Manish's son, confides in Byomkesh about his involvement in a gambling ring at the Coal Club, which eventually leads to a murder investigation involving a wealthy moneylender, Pranhari Poddar. As Byomkesh unravels the complex web of lies and deception, he discovers that the real culprit is closer than expected.

Characters

Byomkesh Bakshi (under the alias of Gaganbabu)
Ajit Bandyopadhyay (under the alias of Sujitbabu)
Manish Chakraborty – The wealthy coal mine owner who hires Byomkesh
Phanish Chakraborty – Manish's son, who becomes involved in the murder investigation
Indira – Phanish's wife
Pranhari Poddar – A moneylender and gambler, found murdered
Govinda Haldar – A prominent figure in the coal industry and a suspect
Mohini – Poddar's maid, whose role becomes crucial in solving the mystery

Themes

Kohen Kobi Kalidas explores several themes:

Deception and Greed: The story highlights how deception and greed drive characters to commit heinous crimes.
Love and Loyalty: Despite the criminal backdrop, the story also touches on the themes of loyalty and love, particularly between Phanish and his wife, Indira.
Justice: Byomkesh Bakshi's unwavering sense of justice shines through as he navigates a web of lies to uncover the truth.

Adaptations

Television

This story was adapted as an episode in the Byomkesh Bakshi (1993 TV series), starring Rajit Kapur as Byomkesh Bakshi. It aired on Doordarshan and was part of the popular series directed by Basu Chatterjee.
Another TV adaptation appeared in the Byomkesh (2014 TV series) on ETV Bangla, where the story was re-enacted.

Film

The 2015 Bengali film Byomkesh Bakshi (2015 film), directed by Anjan Dutt, is based on the story 'Kohen Kobi Kalidas'. This was the fourth installment in Dutt’s Byomkesh Bakshi series, starring Jisshu Sengupta as Byomkesh, replacing Abir Chatterjee from the previous films. The film was released on 16 October 2015 and received critical acclaim.
The 2015 Bollywood film Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!, directed by Dibakar Banerjee and starring Sushant Singh Rajput, also draws inspiration from 'Kohen Kobi Kalidas', though it takes creative liberties and is set in 1940s Calcutta.

External links

Kohen Kobi Kalidas Story Summary