– West Bengal Global Business Summit kicks off Wednesday against backdrop of renewed confrontation within the filmmaking and entertainment fraternity. There’s also a shadow of RG Kar in it
GBT/TTI: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s attempts to woo investment for the industry-starved state via the Bengal Global Business Summit that begins Wednesday has come under the shadow of a showdown in another industry, albeit with a much softer power, the film and television business.
A day before the BGBS 2025 began at New Town’s Biswa Bangla Convention Centre, some 24 km away, director Srijit Roy’s new project was stalled as craftsmen hired to build the sets for his upcoming television serial did not turn up, apparently to protest against some remarks that the director had made during a previous incident.
Many insiders say – sotto voce – that a section of the filmmakers, actors and actresses are being singled out by the ruling party for their participation in the protests against the rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in August last year.
The reasons behind the craftsmen staying away may be unknown, but what is very well known among those familiar with the workings of the local entertainment industry is that the craftsmen would not have stayed without the nod of the all-powerful Federation of Cine Technicians & Workers of Eastern India and its all-powerful president, Swarup Biswas.
Swarup Biswas is a Trinamul functionary and younger brother of state minister Aroop Biswas, one of the closest aides of the chief minister.
“On whose instructions the craftsmen belonging to the Arts Setting Guild did not turn up has to be probed first,” said Debdoot Ghosh, actor who was the CPM candidate for the Barrackpore Lok Sabha seat.
“The ripple effect of a ceasework is felt far and wide. The advertisers, producers of a serial are not tied to only one production. If they fumble once, they will not take long to shift to the industry in other languages and that is what is happening.”
Before Roy fell foul of the Guild, two other filmmakers, Kaushik Ganguly and Jaideep Mukhopadhyay, had had to delay their projects facing opposition from the organisation earlier this month.
According to industry insiders neither Ganguly nor Mukhopadhyay was aware of the reason why they had been singled out.
Tuesday’s incident marks a return of volatility in the already resource-drained local entertainment industry which is being walloped by Bollywood and films from the south.
“I have been accused of making anti-Federation remarks, which has led to the halt of shooting for my project. However, I have not received any official notice regarding these allegations,” said Roy.
The malaise in Bengal’s local entertainment industry runs far deeper and throws a question mark on the chief minister’s zeal to draw investments to Bengal.
CPM state secretary Mohammad Salim described the business meet as a “tamasha”, while industrialist and state BJP leader Shishir Bajoria equalled it to the Bangla folk theatre, jatra.
“What is surprising is most of the film personalities, actors and actresses are in her camp. This is not the first time that the local film industry is in trouble. Why is this being allowed to go on?” Bajoria asked.
“There was a time when we were the leaders in the film industry. Even now many people from Bengal have made their mark in Mumbai and elsewhere, so why do they not get their fair share in their home state?”
Salim said the events in Tollygunge – the studio neighbourhood of south Kolkata – mirrored what has been going on in the state.
“Investment requires law and order and a system in place. The repeated trouble in Tollygunge sends a message that neither is in place in the state. Banners and hoardings cannot cover up the mess. The Bengal Global Business Summit is a tamasha, a great jamboree,” said Salim.
“Sourav Ganguly had announced a steel plant, what happened to it? How many of the proposed investments have been realised?”
In September 2024, Uttar Pradesh surpassed Bengal with the number of active companies in the state. Among Indian states, Bengal is ranked 11th in business reforms implementation and ease of doing business, according to the Indian Brand Equity Foundation.
“Earlier they used to give some data on the proposed investment, but now they have stopped. Industry is visible, it cannot happen underground. Where is the industry?” Bajoria asked.
Bengal produced 40 films last year, a sharp decline from 134 in the previous year. The number of television serials produced dropped to 23 from 40 in the same period.
“This is the reason why the number of films from Bengal selected in the Indian panorama at the International Film Festival of India has dropped below those from Assam,” said a Kolkata-based film personality closely associated with IFFI.
On Tuesday the Directors’ Association of Eastern India made a spirited attempt to express solidarity with their members who have fallen foul of the regime.
“The chief minister had made it very clear [when the Federation previously announced a boycott of filmmaker Rahul Mukherjee for allegedly breaking rules] that she was against strikes and shutdowns. Yet these things are going on. Are these people even more powerful than the chief minister?” asked a filmmaker who did not want to be named.
Actor Debdoot Ghosh suggested filmmaker Gautam Ghosh and actors Prosenjit and Dev should once again knock on the chief minister’s door to find a solution.
“A committee was to be formed to solve these issues and it is still not in place,” said Ghosh. “After the Tatas were driven out from Singur I have not seen any significant industrial house setting up shop in Bengal. You can’t develop industry by ceasing work. Those close to the current party in power must seek the chief minister’s intervention.”
Contacted for comment, state industries minister Dr Shashi Panja said, “I am not going to answer any questions on BGBS.”
When told about the incident in the local film industry, the minister responded: “I don’t know about it.”
