No Bengali films in theatres except for festivals! 'Stars should bring films all year round', demand hall owners

Are Bengali film releases becoming festival-centric? Over the past few years, several big-budget Bengali films have been released at the same time as Hindi films in the festive spirit. Of course, the crowds at the theaters always increase during the Poyala Baishakh, Durga Puja or Christmas season to attract viewers.

Take this year. Saraswati Puja was on January 23. Three Bengali films were released on that day - 'Vijaynagarer Hire', 'Hok Kalrab', 'Bhanupriya Bhooter Hotel'. Sunny Deol's film 'Border 2' is also on the cards. So far, only two Bengali films have been released in February, 'Man Mane Na', 'Khacha'.

Meanwhile, last year, as per the state government's directive, Bengali films will have to be given one prime time show every day. If more than one Bengali film is released, the theatre will have to give space to films in its own language, not Hindi. The result? Binodini Theatre owner Joydeep Mukherjee was forced to close the show on Monday after only three viewers came to see one of the two films that were playing in his hall. He himself told Anandabazar.com. Two of his four shows are being closed due to the lack of Bengali films. According to the news, Hindi film distributors, including Joydeep, have turned their backs on several hall owners for not taking Hindi films at other times of the year. That is why they are also not standing by their side when they are approached at an untimely time.

In such an atmosphere, the Screening Committee and IMPA President Piya Sengupta held a face-to-face meeting with distributors, producers and hall owners on Monday. What emerged from the discussion? Considering the future of Bengali films and the condition of hall owners, are the Screening Committee and IMPA going to take any action? She was asked. Piya said that the screening committee's cine calendar prepared till June has provided many benefits to the distributors. They said that knowing in advance which films are being released in which month makes it easier for the distributors to work.

Except for the festival season, the remaining months of the cine calendar are empty! Meanwhile, several theaters are facing closure due to lack of films. What is the solution to this problem? According to Peer, “Because this problem would arise, the committee had requested the top producers and actors-producers in several previous meetings to release Bengali films throughout the year instead of sticking to a specific time of the year. This would be good for the whole world. Distributors and hall owners would also see profits. Bengali film business would flourish.” Peer argued, “Those who are stars have already passed the acid test. Whenever their films come out, the audience will watch them. With that confidence, they should come at other times besides festivals. Let Bengali cinema survive.”

It was also said in the meeting that if there are no theaters, then how can producers and directors make a fuss about releasing films during festivals?

The industry is suffering due to the lack of good Bengali films, and this is not only true for the hall owners in the city. The same is true for the hall owners in the suburbs and villages. Baniroopa Cinema Hall is located at the junction of Barasat and Basirhat. Its owner and Impera vice-president Subhash Sen expressed his anger over the issue today. He lamented, "Nowadays, Bengali films are made with the urban audience in mind. Directors force their ideas on the audience. But we still understand cinema as just 'entertainment'. That's why the rural audience is still waiting for 'Khadan' or 'Prajapati 2'. Such films will only come out during Durga Puja or winter. How will we continue throughout the year? Renowned directors don't think about us!"

At one time, Nimai Panja controlled 75 cinema halls. He is a director-producer-distributor all at once. The industry knows that stars like Prosenjit Chatterjee, Rituparna Sengupta and others used to sit in discussions with Nimai Babu before the release of their films. As the theatres closed, that number has reduced to 17! Nimai Babu, of course, blamed the Corona period at the beginning. In his words, “Those people who have entered their homes, don’t want to come to the theatres anymore! Cinema is being eaten up by the pressure of OTT and series.” Besides, he also believes that good Bengali films are not being made.

Where is the solution to the problem? The echo of Piyar’s words has been heard in the voices of Joydeep, Subhash, and Nimai Babu. This time, they are calling on ‘Bangla films’ to stand by them in the difficult times of the theatre owners. Piya requested the hall owners in the meeting today to consider showing Bengali and Hindi films in a 2:1 ratio so that if there are no Bengali films, the promoters of Hindi films do not turn away completely.