Ramblings

This Anandamela pujo barshiki has a graphic novel version of Napoleaner Chithi from Satyajit Ray’s popular Feluda series. The art is by Abhijit Chattopadhyay, who has done a decent job. For someone who has grown up on Ray’s pencil and ink version of Feluda, aka Prodosh Mitter, the latest avatar may seem a tad too colourful and slightly less aquiline. (For that matter, the latest version of DC Comics’ Superman seems much less friendly and a lot temperamental when compared to the original.) On the whole, I found the artwork to be very good. The best thing about it is the sketches of different Calcutta landmarks in the background. The side view of St Paul’s Cathedral, Hobby Centre (one of the favourite spots of my childhood, with its model airplanes, video game and ice-cream parlours and toy guns), Park Street-Free School Street crossing made me nostalgic. The difficulty of interpreting Ray’s version of a detective series set in the Calcutta of the Eighties becomes apparent when you start noticing the details: One of the characters is seen using a cellphone, even though Feluda still smokes his trademark filterless Charminar (a Wills Navy Cut would have been more appropriate!). Also, the buggy carrying Feluda, Jatayu and Topshe (his sidekick and cousin) at the Maidan is seen following a car, which looks too much like some of the luxury sedans that have invaded the Indian market recently.
The comic series is another gem of an idea from Ananda Publishers, which owns the rights for the books. A part of the Anand Bazar Patrika media house, Ananda’s move is timely, especially when the market has been flooded with Feluda anthologies and bookshelves are having to yield space to Harry Potters, game CDs and such like.
In fact, it’s thanks to the efforts of Ananda Publishers that the only Indian language that Tintin is available in is Bengali. Also, it was only in the pages of Anandamela that my generation found ‘Indian’ comic characters like Hada and Bhonda and Batul the Great. Come to think of it, except Amar Chitra Katha and Indrajal Comics’ Bahadur, there were hardly any ‘Indian’ comics around at that time. A shame really, considering the fact that we have such a rich tradition of folklore. Anyway, thanks to the Phantoms, Tintins, Batmans and Tarzans (I hated Archie! In fact, funnily enough, I took quite a prudish view of Archie and his two-timing and smooching and his bikini babes. It’s pretty embarrassing to admit, but I guess it was a sign of the times.) I had enough to read in my childhood.
However, nowadays, I find the lack of quality English graphic novels frustrating. Barring Art Spiegelman’s Maus and the recent Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi (neither of which I have read), I know of few other such works. Though Corridors by Sarnath Banerjee (my senior from school) was like a breath of fresh air. A search of the Net sometimes turns up something good, but reading it on a computer terminal gets tedious after some time.
The French, on the other hand, seem to have a very rich tradition of writing graphic novels. In fact, the French Information Centre has a mouth-watering collection of adult comics. But, I am yet to get beyond the ouis and the parlez vous and have to content myself with admiring the artwork.
For the time being, I guess I’ll have to make do with Feluda.