The duo of sleuth Byomkesh Bakshi and his sidekick, Ajit Bandopadhyay, created by Bengali author Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay, were inspired by the eponymous Sherlock Holmes and his partner, Dr. Watson. ‘Har Har Byomkesh’ is a Byomkesh who-dun-it based on Saradindu Bandopadhyay’s novel Banhi Patanga. While the plot in the book unfolds in Patna, the movie’s plot is set in Benaras. Directed by Arindam Sil, the movie stars Abir Chatterjee as Byomkesh and Ritwick Chakraborty as Ajit.

The plot is set in the last days of the British Raj. A newly married Byomkesh, his bride Satyabati (Sohini Sarkar), and Ajit travel to Benaras. Benaras is considered a holy city and revered by Hindus, in much the same way a Catholic reveres Vatican City or a Muslim reveres Mecca. Benaras is situated on the banks of the Ganges river, considered sacred by Hindus.

The trip is a honeymoon of sorts for the couple, and Satyabati reminds Byomkesh of this, but we know that she is in for a disappointment, as crime follows Byomkesh wherever he goes. Ajit, Byomkesh’s inseparable friend, accompanies them. He is a writer who has made his name chronicling Byomkesh’s escapades.

The trio is staying at the home of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Purandhar Pandey, a friend of Byomkesh. The home, built on the banks of the Ganges, offers beautiful views of the river. Rathikanta, a subordinate of Pandey, visits Pandey’s home to invite them for a celebration at the mansion of Deepnarayan Singh, a zamindar or wealthy feudal landlord in British India. After the death of his first wife a few years before, Deepnarayan is now married to a younger woman, Shakuntala (Nusrat Jahan), who hails from Allahabad. Rathikanta tells them that he was acquainted with Shakuntala while he too lived in Allahabad.

Byomkesh learns that Deepnarayan used his power to force Shakuntala’s family to agree to her hand in marriage. Shakuntala’s ravishing good looks have won her many admirers among Deepnarayan’s wealthy friends. The reason for this celebration is that Deepnarayan had recovered from a long illness and regained his health.

When the trio arrive at Deepnarayan’s ostentatious mansion with DSP Pandey, they meet a number of guests. There is much resentment in the air. Three physicians are at the party. Shakuntala has her own physician, a woman. An older male physician is Deepnarayan’s personal doctor. A younger physician who used to be Deepnarayan’s doctor was replaced by the older man, thanks to Shakuntala’s suggestion.

Deepnarayan’s nephew Davnarayan and his wife, Chandni, are also in attendance at the event. Devnarayan is resentful of Deepnarayan and makes it clear that he wants Deepnarayan dead. There are others too, a man who hails from Allahabad who was Shakuntala’s senior at the university she attended. He too disapproves of Deepnarayan.

The festivities are interrupted when it is revealed that there has been a break-in at the older physician’s clinic. However, the party continues. Byomkesh learns that Shakuntala is a talented painter and has painted numerous deities and characters from Indian mythology.

One painting in particular features two lovers from a story in the Indian Epic Mahabharata. The woman in the story, also named Shakuntala, secretly marries King Dushyantha after meeting and falling in love with him in the woods. After being separated from Dushyanta and facing numerous hardships, the Shakuntala finally unites with him. This painting persists in Byomkesh’s memory and will have a significant part in things to come.

Byomkesh, Satyabathi, and Ajit leave the party early and return home on foot. The following day, Byomkesh receives a call informing him that Deepnarayan was murdered by poisoning the previous night. Thus the scene is set to resolve the who-dun-it and expose the guilty person or persons. The painting and some verses from scripture that Satyabathi recites will be clues to solving the crime.

“Har Har Byomkesh” is a tale of greed and adultery and a slick thriller. The movie is accentuated with good performances from the entire cast. The chemistry between Satyabathi and Byomkesh is astounding. The editing too is impressive, but most of all it is the cinematography which is most captivating.

With well-created sets and great camerawork, the cinematography recreates the last days of the Raj. Early on, we get great visuals of the railway station. The home of DSP Pandey has been carefully decorated to make it appear as homes did in that period. The luxurious mansion of Deepnarayan and the celebration are also beautifully presented. Besides being an absorbing thriller, the movie is also a visual treat. Lovers of crime and who-dun-its will love this movie.