Feluda refers to a series of novels and short stories written by the Bengali jack-of-all-trades Satyajit Ray. Since he was a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes, Ray wanted to create his own version of the character in an Indian context.
The eponymous Feluda (real name: Pradosh Chandra Mitter) is a Sherlock Homage of the highest order, a tall, lean, athletic detective who seeks out challenging cases and has a spotless track record. He is assisted by Topshe (real name: Tapesh Ranjan), his young cousin who also serves as his chronicler and right-hand man. They are later joined by the bumbling Jatayu (real name: Lalmohan Ganguli) a middle-aged writer of cheap thrillers who serves primarily as comic relief.
Throughout their adventures, the trio not only visit every part of India (from Madras to Kashmir) but also various foreign locations, including Hong Kong, London and Nepal, to name a few.
Feluda provides examples of:
- Affably Evil: Most criminals tend to be friendly and personable, aside from the hired goons. Especially so with Meghraj.
- Affectionate Nickname: "Felu" for Pradosh Mitter, and "Topshe" for Tapesh.
- Amateur Sleuth: Jatayu and Topshe occasionally fancy themselves as this, and act on their own in Feluda's absence. Most of the time, they just tend to make reckless and unplanned moves. They might come across valuable information, but rarely realize its importance until Feluda points it out.
- Arch-Enemy: Maganlal Meghraj, the Moriarty to Feluda's Holmes. Much like the original, he only appears in a few of the stories but all the protagonists are unanimous in that he was the worst opponent they had faced.
- Bad Liar: Jatayu. Even the villains call him out on it.
- Butt-Monkey: If anything embarrassing has to happen to our heroes, it is always Jatayu it happens to.
- Specially invoked by Meghraj, who delights in forcing Jatayu into terrifying or humiliating situations whenever he has them in his power.
- Collector of the Strange: Jatayu collects weapons, from a Kukri to a boomerang to an actual grenade. They occasionally come in handy during their cases.
- Combat Pragmatist: Feluda and Topshe are both competent street-fighters, but Jatayu takes the cake; as a feeble middle-aged man, he relies entirely on using weapons and ambushing people on the rare occasions that he has to fight.
- Comically Missing the Point: When Feluda remarks on the suspicious behaviour of an American art-dealer who seems more interested in complaining about breakfast than seeing the art, Jatayu asks whether they fry eggs differently in America.
- Encyclopaedic Knowledge: Uncle Sidhu, a friend of Topshe's father. He is a reserved man who collects books and newspaper clippings on almost every topic in the world. Feluda often visits him if he needs information.
- Hanging Judge: An aging one in Peril In Paradise. He has grown to regret his decisions, and speaks openly against the death penalty. His guilt has even got him involved in seances to get forgiveness from the spirits of the dead people he hanged incorrectly. And then he gets murdered.
- Hotter and Sexier: Happens in-universe with Jatayu's novel when it is adapted into a film. He is dismayed to find out that a romantic lead has been introduced to pair up with his hero.
- Implied Death Threat: A staple of the villains, who often leave threatening notes or anonymous phone-calls. Not that it ever puts off Feluda. It does send Jatayu into nervous shivers each time though.
- Knife-Throwing Act: Jatayu becomes an unwilling participant in one in The Mystery of the Elephant God. Our heroes are captured by Meghraj, and he delights in asking his assistant (who was once a knife thrower) to practice with Jatayu as his target.
- Malaproper: Jatayu, often. He talks about "telepathetic" links, "Herbert" University in the USA, "metagun" bombs and much more.
- Master of Disguise: As expected of a Sherlock expy, Feluda is capable of disguising himself so well that even Topshe and Jatayu cannot guess who he is.
- Sherlock Homage: Feluda hits every note. He even smokes, complains about easy cases, and has his assistant act as a chronicler.
- Summation Gathering: Every case that doesn't end in a high-speed chase or fight has Feluda call for a gathering of all the parties (including the police) so that he can reveal the murderer.
