Rebellion in Motion: P.I. Meena's Journey Through a Man's World

Arindam Mitra, the creator of P.I. Meena, discusses his favorite writers, Kolkata, and his Amazon Prime Video series about a young woman private investigator who wants to make a difference in the world.

Writing about your experiences is one thing, but writing something and having it really happen in real life is quite another. When you realized that the Covid epidemic was occurring after you had completed writing P.I. Meena, how did you respond?

Arindam Mitra: That was unexpected. I like reading scientific literature. Science seems to be getting out of hand. You have no idea what may occur. Observe the developments in AI. It terrifies. The most popular conspiracy idea is that these illnesses are all planted. That is the source of it. I wrote the pilot, it was given the go-ahead, and then Covid occurred. It was extremely startling since everything transpired just as I had described in my writing.

Which concept came up first, giving rise to P.I. Meena?

Arindam Mitra: I've always wanted to write a novel or do anything with private investigators. When I directed Black Friday in 2007 (under Anurag Kashyap), a lot of turmoil ensued. It cost me fifteen to twenty years of life. I was done wanting to do it. I was making a life on my own terms. My spouse and friends encouraged me to pick up writing again. I wanted to write a PI narrative if I were to write again. I constantly read and watch stuff like that. I wondered what kind of character it would be.

You may tell that younger people are very angry in this imperfect society by looking at them. Peer pressure, pressure from social media, and talks that are ending globally are all present. Gen Z faces a severe financial crisis. People worry that their money will run out, even if they are wealthy. The younger generation feels let down by their elders, which is why they are agitated and irritated. Both nonconformists and conformists, they are. It's all jumbled together.

That's what my character, who isn't a very likable hero, is like. You never will fall in love with P.I. Meena, and that was never my intention either. The character is more significant to me than the storyline. The storyline is forgotten when one looks at the huge detective tales. However, a storyline is necessary since people will come for the character and remain for the plot. That's how it began, then.

How much time did you need to translate P.I. Meena from the written word to the screen?

Arindam Mitra: A lot of time passed. After the script became frozen, Covid occurred. Prime Video, the platform, was a great help to us. The plan was completely destroyed when the epidemic struck. However, the platform later returned and said, "Let's stick with this."

The initial wave of Covid-19 caused an indefinite delay in the show's premiere. Furthermore, as we were dealing with busy performers, their dates had been disorganized. After that, we got everything ready and headed to the shoot. However, the subsequent wave occurred. We needed three years to complete the assembly.

And how many nights without sleep did you have during these years?

Arindam Mitra: During the whole three years. I continue to have trouble falling asleep.

What are the essential competencies required of a creator/showrunner?

Arindam Mitra: A showrunner is not the same as a creator. The writer takes the lead in writing and is thinking about the program. After then, the creator hands the reins to the showrunner, who handles it from there. It's well-known that several showrunners have said that managing a program entails handling many egos. That's the true nature of a showrunner's work, then.

I'm not familiar with the ideas surrounding the work of a creator, but for me, the job include conceiving the universe and characters as well as choosing the narrative style. Thankfully, I was the primary writer present, which enabled me to progress the project. Fortunately, I was showrunning it, so I made an effort to maintain as much of my vision as possible. Since it is impossible to get a hundred percent, I do not believe that we succeeded in doing so. But we've accomplished a lot for our first pandemic-related performance, especially one of size and scope.

In P.I. Meena, I witnessed a different Kolkata. What role did the city play in your plans?

Mitra Arindam: My two favorite cities are Kolkata and Bombay. Black Friday, my love letter to Bombay. And it's probably P.I. Meena to Kolkata. I've spent a long time away from Kolkata. I have spent the last 26 years living in Bombay. As a result, I will see Kolkata differently when I return than when I live there every day. That's how the program portrays things.

On the other hand, the city is quite important. There is a feeling of grief throughout the city, yet people will murder me for stating this. Every time I visit, I feel it; maybe because the younger members of the family have gone away and only the old remain. That has, in my opinion, gotten into the show.

Even though it is being destroyed by everyone, the character of Subho Roy (Parambrata Chattopadhyay) is the other Kolkata that I have battled for and kept. He favors anarchy. I see it as Kolkata's positive aspect, and I play the anarchist card with Subho. It has nothing to do with the story, which is why the reviewers have completely disregarded it. The platform was in line with my vision, and for that I am very grateful.

Speaking about a city does not always include discussing pictures. You mention the "one thing" about the city, and for that reason, Subho has great significance in my life. That anarchist will be taken forward if I get the opportunity to work on one more season.

You've always seen Parambrata Chattopadhyay as Subho, right?

Arindam Mitra: Since I am familiar with the genuine Param, I had Param in mind. I am aware that he has anarchist beliefs. I may be killed for telling him this. However, his enthusiasm for his work makes him the embodiment of Kolkata.

And why did you choose Tanya Maniktala for the role of P.I. Meenakshi Iyer?

Arindam Mitra: To be honest, we were considering a lot of performers for the role. It was all the usual suspects being discussed. The platform proposed Tanya Maniktala. In Kolkata, she was filming something. Her eyes drew the attention of both director Debaloy Bhattacharya and myself.

After our encounter, I saw that there was potential in this girl. She reads a lot, so she can recognize allusions quickly. She has some literary exposure. There's something more there than the innocent kid she portrays in her previous performances, and that's what made the connection. She is incredibly malleable, and I believe that's why she chose to play the part. Although we did not only utilize her eyes, we are guilty of doing so.

You mentioned the city, the personalities, and private investigators. But what did you really want to convey with P.I. Meena at the heart of the program?

Arindam Mitra: Perhaps because I have a daughter who is twenty years old, I found this young girl up against a society that is dominated by males to be interesting. My wish is for her to mature and achieve something. I don't know whether I'm trying to tell her that this is who I want you to be via P.I. Meena.

My spouse and I attended the same university. I've seen her behavior throughout her life. I believe it is a female trait that my wife and I share. Our goal is for females to thrive in this world. I am not certain, but I think it could be the case. When faced with several obstacles in today's environment, what should a young lady do? P.I. Meena is most likely this.

I've put a lot of effort into two things. First of all, I've been acutely aware that this character doesn't have any masculine gaze. Meena's gender is the second factor. She is not the male dressed as a girl. That is the main focus of the show's criticism that has been directed at it. We object to recognizing a female for who she is. The program is performing really well in terms of audience response. On Prime Video, the program debuted and remained at the top.

Let's end on a more humorous note. What genres of TV programs and movies do you watch?

Arindam Mitra: My two favorite things are movies and books. Even though I like crime, drama and love tales equally appeal to me. I read a wide range of material. Gabriel Garia Marquez is one of my favorite authors. My areas of interest include Latin American literature and magic realism. I read crime because it improves writing, so it's almost like education. It imparts character and planning skills. I read books and watch a variety of movies. That's how I live. Author Robert B. Parker has written some of my favorite PI novels. I adore his American pulp fiction.

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Press Time staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.