Kolkata's Bengal film industry pivots towards BJP after TMC defeat
On Tuesday last, Eastern India Motion Pictures Association President Piyaa Sengupta sought to wash off its pro-TMC tag and welcomed the new dispensation
The political shift in West Bengal has hit Kolkata's Bengali film industry whose celebrity actors and union leaders have begun distancing from out-of-power Trinamool Congress and warming up to ruling BJP.
On Tuesday last, Eastern India Motion Pictures Association President Piyaa Sengupta sought to wash off its pro-TMC tag and welcomed the new dispensation.
He said though he might "not be aligned ideologically with the incoming dispensation", he respects the people's mandate. "If the new govt can work towards the development of business and industries in the state, especially work towards the betterment of our industry, I will be the happiest."
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During its 15-year rule since 2011, TMC fielded several film celebrities as its candidates in assembly and parliamentary elections, including superstar Deb (Deepak Adhikari), Satabdi Roy and Moon Moon Sen, more than any other party.
Prominent Tollywood personalities like Deb, Parambrata Chatterjee, Riddhi Sen and Anirban Bhattacharya were part of a campaign for TMC.
Today, Deb has changed his track. Welcoming BJP's sweeping victory in West Bengal, the MP from Ghatal constituency urged the new state government to uphold the spirit of unity and artistic freedom in the Bengali film industry and put an end to the 'cultural ban', meaning those not pro-TMC would get no work.
At the heart of TMC's hold on the Bengali cinema industry was the Federation of Cine Technicians and Workers of Eastern India, which has many affiliated unions and guilds operating under its umbrella and is currently run by TMC leader Swarup Biswas.
Biswas is the brother of former TMC leader and minister Arup Biswas. In recent elections, Arup lost from Tollygunje constituency in south Kolkata to BJP candidate Papia Adhikary, an actor.
Papia Adhikary, the newly elected voice of the constituency who defeated Arup, has declared the Federation's era of "dictatorship" over.
Swarup Biswas has been accused of running a "syndicate" in the Bengali film industry, controlling technicians, timing of shoots and even banning actors and directors if they do not fall in line.
Another tell-tale sign of the change of guard in Bengal is that film director Vivek Agnihotri's controversial documentary "The Bengal Files" has now been cleared for commercial viewing in the state after it was stalled by the previous Mamata Banerjee government.
