Mithun-starrer ‘Projapoti’ not finding a slot in state-run cinema complex triggers a controversy

Kolkata, Dec 25 (PTI) Bengali film ‘Projapati’ starring yesteryear superstar turned BJP leader Mithun Chakraborty and Tollywood hero turned Trinamool Congress MP Dev not finding a slot at state-run film complex Nandan here in the Christmas week has triggered a controversy.

The opposition BJP alleged the film was not selected in Nandan as it features Mithun Chakraborty in a pivotal role.

Dev, .a.k.a Deepak Adhikary who is co-producing the film, however, steered clear of controversy saying the film is already being seen on several single screens and multiplexes across the state and registering “very good response”.

However, sounding a little bit disappointed, the Ghatal MP added “it would have been better if our film could have been included in the list. Hope my next project will be more fortunate so far as getting a berth at Nandan is concerned.”

“Will miss u Nandan this time No Issue Will meet again End of Story,” Dev tweeted.

Nandan CEO Mitra Chatterjee told PTI “we have nothing to comment on the issue. We have a fair policy, we promote good Bengali cinema and we always try to accommodate such films based on the availability of halls at that moment.”

‘Haami 2’ and ‘Dostojee’ are being screened in Nandan during Christmas week.

BJP national vice-president Dilip Ghosh told reporters “the vindictive Mamata Banerjee government is interfering in people’s right to watch films. This is dictatorship.”

“The film has been excluded from Nandan as Mithun Chakraborty is in the lead. Is Nandan the fiefdom of the TMC regime? I feel sorry for a person like Dev, he must now realise that the party he represents in Lok Sabha does not believe in artistic freedom and the freedom of people to see the film they want. I have nothing against the other films chosen,” Ghosh added.

TMC state spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said “this was purely an administrative decision by Nandan. We have high regard for Mithun as an actor but as a BJP leader he has no credibility.”

He said BJP should stop sermonising about freedom in fields of arts considering how they and their sister organisations try to impose their own dogma on Bollywood film industry.

Left sympathiser Director Anik Dutta’s film ‘Aparajito’, which had a successful run at the box office earlier this year, had also not been screened in Nandan, which is known to promote content-rich, good Bengali cinema to the audience at a reasonable rate.

Dutta and one of the film’s key actors, TMC youth leader, Sayani Ghosh had voiced disappointment over the issue.

Veteran CPI(M) leader Biman Bose said “the name of the cinema complex has only been retained by the present government. They have changed its character.”

‘Projapoti’ has been released in state-run Nazrul Tirtha in New Town and several auditoriums in the city and single screen across the state.