MUMBAI: The heartening response to Sujoy Ghosh’s Kahaani has created a reverberating impact. The well-received Kolkata mystery-drama has impelled its young director to make Kahaani and its protagonist Vidya Bagchi a part of an ongoing series.

 

Says a  source very close to project, “The idea was with Sujoy for very long. He wrote the script of Kahaani four years ago. And he knew the protagonist had the potential to be a part of a series. Sujoy is a  huge fan of Satyajit Ray’s Feluda detective stories. The Vidya Bagchi stories could be on the lines of Feluda. A female Feluda, if you please.”

 

It was only after the rousing reception given to the film that Sujoy has begun to seriously consider carrying the story forward.

 

In Kolkata on Saturday for a special screening of Kahaani for the film’s cast and crew Sujoy admitted he was into the idea of continuing the Kahaani saga.

 

Says Sujoy, “Yes, turning Kahaani into a franchise is something that was at the back of my mind from the time I wrote the film.I knew I had stumbled on to a unique idea that I didn’t want to let go of when I finished writing Kahaani. What Vidya Bagchi does with her life after my Kahaani, haunts me. I want to take the idea forward.”

 

If all goes well, Kahaani 2 would be Sujoy’s next project. He has already cracked the idea for a sequel.

 

The only problem is, getting Vidya Balan’s dates. Says Sujoy, “Kahaani was written for Balan. I can’t imagine taking the character forward without her. She will have to green-light the franchise before it goes further. The problem is Balan(yes,that’s what the director calls her) is so choosy and busy. I’ll have to write a crackling script to convince her.”

At the moment  Sujoy is basking in the success of Kahaani. “I knew it’d be liked. But never in my wildest dream did I expect this kind of acceptance for the film. I feel I’ve finally come home.” 

 

Sujoy’s wife who lives near Scotland with his mother saw the film. “She didn’t say a word after seeing it. That means she liked it.”