How the R. G. Kar Rape and Murder Protests Led to Bengali Cinema Taking a Backseat

Nearly two months after the brutal rape and murder of a 31-year-old resident doctor at Kolkata’s R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, people have continued to take to the streets demanding justice. Members of the Bengali film industry have also been prominent participants, with actors, filmmakers, technicians, and others joining the marches under the banner of the industry or their guilds, or they have taken to social media to support the movement. However, like most other businesses, the industry also finds itself in a predicament.

Durga Pujo, the state’s biggest festival, is a week during which audience numbers in theatres are conventionally high, leading to several festive-week releases. According to a source in the management and distribution team of PVR Inox Ltd, Bengali films generally record a footfall of approximately 2.5 to 3 lakhs between three films released over the 10 days of Pujo. This year, however, trends point to a marked dip in theatre turnout.

“The exact impact is difficult to predict as Pujo days often bring in unexpected responses, but it is expected that ticket sales will fall by over 40 per cent in comparison to the other years, which might make it difficult for films to even recover their costs,” says Biplab Chakraborty, secretary, Bengal Film and Television Chamber of Commerce.

Usually, what would be a frantic time for the city — which is only a day away from Pujo — is turning out to reveal a less celebratory spirit. For many, October 9 to 12 will just be about the rituals and not the festivity, where cinemas feel like distant pockets away from the reality of the streets. Following negligible footfall in theatres over the past month, films releasing during Pujo, which have always been some of the strongest crowd pullers, find themselves taking a backseat, with a looming sense of uncertainty. “The pre-Pujo spell is usually a dry one, and with no Bengali film released after Padatik or Babli, which performed poorly, and almost three pre-Pujo releases postponed, it is a difficult period,” says a source in the PVR  Inox Ltd distribution team.

He adds that in the aftermath of the R.G. Kar incident, most of the weekends saw people joining protests, which affected footfall in movie theatres. “However, amidst all of this, Stree 2 has recorded a business of around ₹40 crores in Bengal. So, it is difficult to predict what the major Pujo releases hold for us. To watch a film, people also need to like it,” he tells The Hollywood Reporter India.

The Inevitability of the Impact

While industry analysts believe the protests have and will certainly affect business, they also attribute the slowdown to the lack of films in the theatres. “Where are the films?” asks  Chakraborty. “When the market has slumped for most of the primary businesses that are dependent on Pujo, it is obvious that cinema will face the impact as well. There is no spirit of festivity,” he adds.

Last year, four films under major production houses had theatrical releases during the Pujo week: Dawshom Awbotaar (SVF), Raktabeej (Windows Production), Jongole Mitin Mashi (Camellia Productions), Bagha Jatin (Dev Entertainment Ventures). Three films have lined up for release this year: Tekka, directed by Srijit Mukherji, produced by actor Dev Adhikari and also featuring him alongside Swastika Mukherjee and Rukmini Maitra; Bohurupi under Windows Production, directed by the duo Shiboprosad Mukherjee and Nandita Roy, starring Abir Chatterjee, Ritabhari Chakraborty, Koushani Mukherjee and Shiboprosad; and Shashtri, directed by Pathikrit Basu and produced by Surinder Films, starring Mithun Chakraborty, Soham, Saswata Chatterjee among others. The weak showing is especially evident when compared to the lineup during the COVID-19 pandemic years, when a record 10 films were released during the Pujo week in 2020, and six in the following year.

Director Srijit Mukherji, who has never had a Pujo release tank at the box office, does not regret that his film Padatik (a biopic of filmmaker Mrinal Sen), released at the height of the protests, performed poorly. “I am an econometrician by training, and thus, I know what numbers are. They are real, brutal and hold no bias or agenda. I have made 22 films before Tekka, of which four have failed at the box office. I was disappointed when the other three films tanked, but I was very proud when Padatik performed poorly. It was a moment of historical significance, and I believe Mrinal Sen would also be on the streets protesting with everyone if he were here. My audience, who did not come to the theatres, were on the streets protesting, which in fact celebrated the spirit of the film,” he tells The Hollywood Reporter India.

When asked about his predictions for Tekka, he says that the ambiance does not call for a comment on the box office. He believes it is difficult to predict the impact, but the fact that there are only three major films in contrast to the usual five or six might offset the predicted loss or the lack of revenue.

Actor Parambrata Chatterjee believes that while the impact is strong, saying people will boycott Pujo or the theatres altogether is a stretch. “While the festive spirit has not picked up yet, the mass is a wide spectrum. There are still people, away from urban spaces, looking forward to Durga Pujo and trying to claw back to normalcy. Like always, they will watch what they like. People will celebrate and watch films, but with a strong sensitisation that they will go back to the streets if need be,” he says.

Shiboprosad Mukherjee, who also co-helms Windows Production, has had promotions for Bohurupi stalled over the last month. He says, “When something like this happens, there is bound to be gloom shrouding all of us. We were also on the streets. The business is down by 40 to 50 per cent, but that is normal. The figures that we record will certainly not be seen this year. We have to face the inevitable and live with the reality. That said, this is our bread and butter, and we have to release the film to keep our money rolling, pay salaries and keep our families running.”

Swastika Mukherjee, who is also gearing up for Tekka, believes Pujo releases signify a sense of celebration. “We had shot it long back, and it had been slated for a Pujo release. There are so many things in place, and so many livelihoods depend on them. It is how I run my family as well. The film will be released, and I would like it if people watch it. But unlike other years, I don’t think I can invite people to watch my film or address crowds that way. It would feel extremely hollow. They will watch if they have the heart to watch it. It is completely up to them.”