Sujoy Ghosh

Have I ever fancied writing a thriller in the detective fiction subgenre? Maybe yes. I was always intrigued by political and diplomatic thrillers more than detective fiction, but there was a little Ajit Kumar Banerjee in me who wanted to write about detectives and their journeys (and not just the cases). Finally, I decided to take a plunge and write a short novella about a young detective whose journey is set in 90’s Allahabad.

The 90s was a unique era. The country was still set in old ways of working despite significant changes happening globally and in our own backyard. The technology was still looked upon with reverence and awe. We knew about forensics, but it was not a part of our discourse except when a high-profile case was under scrutiny. In that era, a dated character like Byomkesh was still relevant, and the show was not perceived as a period drama. It felt real despite the difference of decades between.

He felt familiar.

Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay’s character, Byomkesh, was a genius hiding in plain sight behind the facade of normalcy. Genius often begets arrogance, but Byomkesh was not arrogant; he was just confident. He always felt like someone I might pass by at the Durga Puja Pandal and might be introduced as an acquaintance of someone I know. Someone I might be in awe of but not intimidated by. 

Mrinal is definitely inspired by Byomkesh. His dreams and aspirations are similar to those of people belonging to the generation of my elder brother (and maybe the one before). His philosophy and morals are similar to those of the people I spent my childhood with, characters I felt emotionally connected to. But he is a flawed character, as we will explore through his journey. He is not Byomkesh after all.

Hope you would like the story Night Of Separation.

~Sujoy