Would be pleased to see Bollywood remake of 'Sherlock': Mark Gatiss (IANS Interview)

English actor and comedian Mark Gatiss, who has given a fillip to the detective stories of Sherlock Holmes with his hit series "Sherlock", would be "pleased" to see Bollywood remake of the saga interspersed with Bollywood style songs and dances.

Bollywood has its detective and spy stories, courtesy movies like "Ek Tha Tiger", "Agent Vinod" and "Bobby Jasoos", but no one has attempted to adapt Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's creations.

When asked about this, Gatiss, who is geared up for his maiden India visit, said: "I can't believe that no one has (attempted to make 'Sherlock Holmes')..."

"I would be very pleased if they make a Bollywood remake of Sherlock. I look forward to the filmy dance in it. However, it couldn't be our version of 'Sherlock', but they could certainly do a 'Sherlock'," the multi-faceted artist told IANS on the phone from London.

In "Sherlock", actor Benedict Cumberbatch plays the high profile detective, while Martin Freeman is seen as his partner John Watson. But Gatiss could not lock in two names from Bollywood whom he would like to see in playing the two pivotal characters in the Indian version.

"I'm afraid I don't know the actors well enough to say. I will have to take advice about that," said the co-creator of the BBC series "Sherlock". He will be in Mumbai from Dec 19 to 21 to attend the Mumbai Film and Comic Con 2014.

Impressed with the energetic Indian film industry, which churns out about 1,000 films per year, he said that British filmdom can take inspiration from them.

"In terms of the film industry, I think we can learn from the energy and expertise of the Indian industry. In fact, they make so many movies and it's fantastic. In Britain, they don't make much films. We don't have an industry, it is sort of staggering around. I think we can learn from the simple productivity and imagination of the Indian cinema," Gatiss told IANS.

Interestingly, a small portion of a season three teaser video titled "Game is Back On", which was released to announce the arrival of Sherlock from the dead, showed Delhi Police seeking help from the detective.

"The mention of New Delhi only came about when I was writing an episode where I wanted to show Sherlock's progress from death -- across the world and back to London," he said about the India connect.

Asked whether he has any plans to make an episode revolving around India, Gatiss said: "We have no plans at the moment for any abroad act, but I may check out some locations while I'm in Mumbai and see how we get to it."

"We are not planning to collaborate or make an Indian version. We are only making our version of it and I think everyone wants us to carry one; so we are," he added.

Talking about the upcoming season, Gatiss said: "Expect the unexpected."

"The photograph may give you a clue. We are doing first episodes, which are special in their own way and are very different, and then we are doing three more after that."

The actor, who plays Sherlock's elder brother in the series, said he couldn't divulge what will happen in the new season.

"But we are going to keep expanding the whole idea of Sherlock's progress towards becoming a human being, John's progress in terms of trying to manage him and obviously, with Mrs Watson the whole dynamic changes a little," Gatiss said.

In the previous season, where Sherlock was brought back from the dead, the makers teased the audience with three probabilities of how he faked his death, instead of clearly showing it.

"We have to show how Moriarty is back from the dead and what he has planned. The answer to how Moriarty faked his death will be in the special season, for which we will begin shooting soon, and you will find out how he did it. There are no three fake possibilities in it," he said.

(Sugandha Rawal can be contacted at suganda.r@ians.in)