Kolkata, 7 August (H.S.) -
In a significant development for the Bengali film industry, it has been decided that all cinema halls in West Bengal will now be required to reserve at least one daily screening for Bengali films. The decision was made following a high-level meeting held on Thursday at Nandan between state minister Aroop Biswas and leading figures from the Bengali film industry.
The meeting, attended by actors Dev and Rituparna Sengupta, directors Kaushik Ganguly and Shiboprosad Mukherjee, producers Shrikant Mohta, Nispal Singh, Rana Sarkar, and IMPPA president Pia Sengupta, was described as “very positive” by several participants.
Over the past few years, Bengali films have struggled to retain screen time in single-screen cinemas across the state, often sidelined by the commercial pull of big-budget Hindi and South Indian films. This trend has led to economic setbacks and reduced audience access for Bengali cinema. In response, members of the industry had appealed to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for intervention, which prompted Minister Biswas to convene the meeting.
Director Kaushik Ganguly, voicing his frustration, said, “My language is my strength. We have been fighting for years, but Bengali films often don’t get screens due to the conditions set by Mumbai-based distributors. Many insist that all four daily shows in single screens must be allocated to Hindi films, or they won’t release the film at all. Theatre owners comply under pressure, leaving Bengali films with no space.”
The key resolution from the meeting was that no cinema hall in the state will be permitted to deny a screening to a Bengali film. If a film fails to perform at the box office, theatre owners will be allowed to withdraw it, but only after giving it a fair chance.
Actor Dev, speaking after the meeting, said, “It’s truly unfortunate that Bengali films struggle to find an audience in Bengal itself. We have unanimously agreed that every theatre must allocate at least one show to a Bengali film. Distributors and theatre owners are also on board with this decision.”
Actress Rituparna Sengupta added, “My films are running successfully, and people are watching them, yet time slots are often changed without notice. Distributors sometimes fail to give producers clear answers, leading to frustration. If someone creates a Bengali film with passion, it must get a platform in Bengal. Today’s meeting marks a step toward resolving that issue.”
Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh