‘Police intimidation’ forces screening of Bhobishyoter Bhoot to be stopped in Kolkata theaters, multiplexes; producers pondering legal action.
New Delhi: The “blocking” of Bengali film director Anik Datta’s Bhobishyoter Bhoot (Future Ghosts) in cinema halls and multiplexes in Kolkata, apparently without any official explanation, has led to widespread discontent among movie buffs, artistes, musicians and technicians who recently organised protests in Kolkata against the move. Protesters have alleged that the film has been the victim of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s “political vendetta”, though the film has already been certified by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).
Datta himself took part in the protests against the film’s withdrawal from Kolkata theaters, though, while talking to The Sunday Guardian, he did not categorically blame Banerjee of waging a “political vendetta” against him, as has been stated by some protesters. However, though some exhibitors say that they have been instructed by “higher authorities” (without being able to provide details of who these “authorities” were), in private they concede that local police are intimidating them and calling cinemas to demand that the film’s screening be stopped. The film’s screening was stopped in Kolkata cinema halls and multiplexes a day after it was released across the state on 15 February. Datta said: “The film is still being screened in some suburbs of Kolkata.”
Datta had reportedly criticised Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s style of functioning a few months ago and at a panel discussion at the Kolkata International Film Festival in November 2018, he had expressed his unhappiness over Banerjee’s photos being plastered all over the festival’s venue. Asked about that, Datta told The Sunday Guardian: “I have said what I have said in the past, and have nothing more to say.”
However, veteran actor Soumitra Chatterjee, who had participated in protests against the film’s withdrawal, has been quoted by media in Kolkata as saying: “I was astounded to note that the film was taken off the screen just a day after it was released. There is reason to think that this is a vengeful act, triggered by some comments made by the filmmaker in the past. I have no words to condemn this.”
Indira Unninayar, co-producer of Bhobishyoter Bhoot and wife of Kalyanmoy Chatterjee, the film’s producer, told The Sunday Guardian: “Datta’s was a normal statement. If you go to a sports event and find photos of politicians or even bureaucrats, one would naturally comment. Similarly, this was a film festival and you would expect photos of those who have contributed to the film world; not photos of politicians or bureaucrats.”
Social media has been critical over the film’s withdrawal. One of the critical comments on Facebook reads: “The director of the film happens to be my personal friend, and I was keen on watching it (the film). I knew that the ruling party was not happy with him because he was critical of the administration. But I could not imagine that a film can be shut down without any legal process or explicit reason.”
Unninayar said: “Just four days prior to the film’s release, Kalyanmoy (Chatterjee) received a telephonic call from the State Intelligence Unit (SIU) of the Kolkata Police, saying that it had received some information about the film and such information was urgent. This was followed by a letter from the SIU through Dilip Bandyopadhyay on 11 February asking that the film be screened privately to ‘a few senior officials’ on a ‘priority basis’ in light of information received that it may ‘hurt public sentiments which may lead to political law and order issues’. To this letter, Kalyanmoy (Chatterjee) duly replied by 12 February informing the SIU of Kolkata Police that the competent authority, the CBFC, had already cleared the film for release and that asking for such a private screening prior to the release was beyond the jurisdiction and legal competence of the police. Further, that the Supreme Court has confirmed that no other authority of public office ought to interfere in such matters, as that would amount to a violation of the rule of law and that every authority is required to act in aid of the Supreme Court’s orders. No further response has been received thereafter from the Kolkata Police.”
As per the press release from the film’s producers: “The public called the film ‘mature’ and ‘bold’ after viewing it and it received an extremely favourable response after release.” Unninayar said: “After release on 15 February, the film ran to packed houses till the afternoon of 16 February, and there have been no incidents to suggest any kind of unrest or public disorder to justify withdrawal of the film from the theaters. Though exhibitors cite ‘higher authorities’ for stopping the screening of the movie, in private they concede that the local police are intimidating them and calling cinemas to demand that the film’s screening be stopped.”
Bhobishyoter Bhoot follows Datta’s 2012 satirical film Bhooter Bhobishyot, in which a bunch of ghosts living in a haunted bungalow rise up against plans to demolish their “home” to make way for a shopping mall. The current flick is not a sequel to the 2012 movie. As per the press release from the film’s producers, Datta makes “socially relevant films, packed with punch, wit and humour, leaving the viewer to think and reflect upon important issues. The film Bhobishyoter Bhoot is a social satire packed with wit and humour and is extremely relevant for our times. It mourns the ‘living dead’ and the ghosts propose to become relevant in the future and support the cause of the marginalized to protect their rights”.
Asked why the new movie has been withdrawn, Datta said: “A few days before the release of the film, the producer got a letter from the Kolkata Police asking for a special screening of the film, but that demand was refused. There has been no official reaction from the Bengal government so far, so I do not know any specific reason why the film has been taken off the screens.” Asked what the way forward was, he said: “We are definitely contemplating legal action.” Datta refused to categorise the film as a “political satire” or any other genre and said: “It is for the viewers to see the film and decide for themselves.”
Actress-producer Piya Sengupta, President, Eastern India Motion Pictures Association (EIMPA), and the first female head of EIMPA, told The Sunday Guardian: “I received a mail from Kalyanmoy Chatterjee, the producer of the film, saying that the film has been taken off some Kolkata theatres. So I talked to some exhibitors and they said it was due to some ‘technical problem’. As for us at the EIMPA, we have not received any communication, either verbal or in writing, from either the Kolkata Police or the Government of West Bengal, directing halls to stop screening the movie. So it is difficult to pinpoint any reason why the film has been withdrawn. We would soon call a meeting of representatives of halls where screening has stopped to find out more on the issue.” Asked whether Datta’s comments last year at the film festival could be the reason for the film’s withdrawal, Sengupta said: “The two incidents should not be linked; in any case, we are trying to promote good Bengali films.”
For movie buffs across the nation, though, Unninayar has some encouraging words. She said: “We will wait some more time before taking legal action on the matter. If we had wished, we could have simultaneously released the film across the country, but we want to promote good Bengali films and so released the film first in Bengal. However, if the film gets caught up in some legal complications in Bengal, there is a possibility that the film will be released nationwide. That is also an option.”