Bengali movie ‘Projapati’ was released in many theatres across West Bengal on December 23, just ahead of the Christmas holidays, except for the state-run film complex ‘Nandan’ in Kolkata. This piqued the attention of the members of the opposition parties, who accused the state administration of denying it slots in the state-run film centre because it stars veteran actor Mithun Chakraborty, who happens to be a BJP leader.
Notably, TMC leader and Bengali superstar Deepak Adhikari, popularly known as Dev has co-produced the movie. Veteran actor Mithun Chakraborty, who joined the BJP during the last assembly election in West Bengal, also played an important role in the film.
Questioning the Mamata Banerjee’s government’s bias, former BJP WB state president and now BJP national vice-president Dilip Ghosh said that the government is denying space to the film in Nandan because the movie features Mithun Chakraborty.
The veteran actor was long associated with the ruling Trinamool Congress in Bengal before he resigned in 2016. He joined BJP last year ahead of the state assembly elections in West Bengal.
“Bengali superstar Mithun Chakraborty was not invited to the inauguration program of the Kolkata international film festival just because he is in the BJP. Dev was also forced to contest the election, he wasn’t willing to do the same. Today in West Bengal, if you don’t support the TMC, you will not get the hall to release your film,” said Dilip Ghosh.
Interestingly, Bengali superstar Dev, who happens to be a Trinamool Congress leader also took to Twitter to bemoan the fact that his movie did not find space in the state-run movie centre. Besides being the protagonist, Deepak Adhikari aka Dev has also co-produced the film.
“Will miss u Nandan this time No Issue Will meet again… End of Story,” Tweeted the TMC MP.
Will miss u Nandan this time
— Dev (@idevadhikari) December 24, 2022
No Issue
Will meet again…
End of Story
OpIndia looked on the Indian internet ticketing platform BookMyShow to find which theatres in Kolkata are screening ‘Projapati,’ starring Dev and Mithun Chakraborty. A basic search threw open the list of names of as many as 40 single screens and multiplexes that are screening the movie but as accurately pointed out, the list did not feature the name of the state-run film centre ‘Nandan’.
Further, when we searched for which movies are currently being showcased in Nandan on BookMyShow, it showed the names of three Bengali movies, namely, Dostojee, Haami 2, and Hatyapuri.
The two movies Haami 2 and Hatyapuri were released on the same date as Mithun Chakrabarty’s ‘Projapati’. While Haami 2 and Hatyapuri are listed for screening in Nandan, only ‘Projapati’ has not got a slot in the West Bengal government-run film centre.
Trinamool Congress defends itself
Meanwhile, dismissing the allegations, Kolkata mayor and West Bengal Minister Firhad Hakim said, “The reason for not getting a show at Nandan is booked slots. Those associated with the respective film must complete the booking in advance. This booking is not in the hands of the chief minister. The letter may not have been given for the film ‘Projapati’ earlier. So it is not true that his film did not get the show because Mithun Chakraborty is there. Dev is also in that film.”
TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh also provided an odd argument to defend the State government’s decision. “Without any reason, the BJP is creating a controversy out of this non-issue. The movie stars Dev who has performed brilliantly. Mithun Chakraborty who is also in the film has failed to live up to the character. It is because of his poor performance that the movie is not doing well. The BJP is trying to create an issue so that the movie succeeds at the box office,” said the TMC leader.
Nandan, for the uninitiated, is a government-sponsored film and cultural centre in Kolkata, West Bengal. The foundation stone of Nandan was laid by the former Chief Minister of West Bengal Jyoti Basu in 1980. Until 2010, the Kolkata International Film Festival used to be inaugurated at Nandan. In 2011, Mamata Banerjee, after becoming the Chief Minister of West Bengal, shifted the ceremony from Nandan to the Netaji Indoor Stadium.
Over the years, there have been several allegations leveled against Nandan that screenings of controversial films are frequently avoided due to political pressure. Interestingly, another film, ‘Aporajito,’ directed by Anik Dutta, was also denied a screening slot in Nandan earlier this year. This film was based on legendary Bengali film director Satyajit Ray. Anik Dutta, the film’s director, is said to be a vocal critic of the state’s ruling party, the Trinamool Congress (TMC).
