PEOPLE STILL REMEMBER ME AS BYOMKESH, SAYS RAJIT KAPUR
Back in 1993, Basu Chatterjee’s television series Byomkesh Bakshi, based on the life of a fictional detective, received wide critical acclaim. Talking about the re-running of the show on Doordarshan during the 21day lockdown, Rajit Kapur, who played the titular character, says, “It has been airing every three years. Maybe, more audience, especially the next generation, will watch it now. People who’ve watched it 20 years ago are showing it to their children. It’s pure, clean and wholesome entertainment. What appeals to people is that it’s simple to understand and sometimes, simple is more effective”
Ask him about his early memories associated with the show and he nostalgically shares, “It was like shooting for a film. It’s because of Byomkesh Bakshi that I’m recognised. It became very popular and even now, there are people who probably don’t know my name but remember me as Byomkesh. It has its own impact.”
Recounting his experience of working with Chatterjee, Kapur says, “He had a great sense of humour. So, it was fun working with him. In fact, even during intense scenes, there was an element of fun. But he was a workaholic.”
The actor says that a little over two decades ago, shooting for television shows wasn’t hectic and strenuous. “We would start rolling at sharp nine o’clock in the morning and would pack up by 6:30pm, unless there was a night shift. We worked regularly without a break. We were working for long hours but it was not the killing 12-to-15hour shoots like how people are made to work today,” he says.