Only three Puja releases — has Tollywood’s festivity gone astray this year?

Durga Puja is around the corner. Like every year, this is also a time for big-banner Bengali film releases. This is the time when producers and filmmakers bank on the festive mood of common Bengali people who step out and splurge on entertainment. Along with Srijit Mukherji, who has an envious record of Puja releases with superhit films like Rajkahini (2015), Ek Je Chhilo Raja (2018), and others, several filmmakers focus on this release window for their big films. In fact, Shiboprosad Mukherjee and Nandita Roy, though initially not part of the trend, joined the Puja bandwagon last year with their Raktabeej and saw enormous success.

The number is less than that in the Pandemic year

However, this year is different. Unlike four, five, or even eight films released in earlier years, 2024 Puja will see just three films during the fall festival. Srijit is back with his second collaboration with Dev in Tekka. Billed as his signature thriller, the film also features Swastika Mukherjee and Rukmini Maitra. Then there is Shastri, by Pathikrit Basu. Mithun Chakraborty will be back in the Puja run with this drama. And finally, it is Shiboprosad and Nandita’s thriller, Bohurupi. Abir Chatterjee, Ritabhari Chakraborty, Koushani Mukherjee, and Shiboprosad will lead the cast with a chase drama.

Also read: Tekka: Meet Dev, aka Iqlakh, in Srijit Mukherji’s mega Puja release 

But that’s all. This year, the number of Puja releases is less than that during the Covid-19 period with an average of five films (Rawkto Rawhoshyo, SOS Kolkata, Shaheber Cutlet, and others in 2020 and Golondaaj, Bony, Baazi, and others in 2021) were released. In fact, only last year, four big-banner films — Dawsham Awbotaar, Raktabeej, Bagha Jatin, and Jongole Mitin Mashi — were released.

Something amiss in the kingdom of Tollywood

Undoubtedly, Tollywood is going through some turmoil. This will be the first time in many years, even a decade, when SVF – the production house that practically encouraged the trend of Puja releases – will not have any film to drop. According to sources, the house wished to release a film – a Bengali remake of the Malayalam film, Garudan – during Puja. With Prosenjit Chatterjee and Anirban Bhattacharya in the lead, the film was supposed to be directed by Rahool Mukherjee. However, that got all messed up when the Federation of Cine Technicians & Workers of Eastern India – a body of film technicians and directors – suspended Rahool for working in Bangladesh without the body’s ‘authorization’. After days of fighting between all the directors and the Federation’s key members, he got back his ‘rights’ to work but according to his unit, it was too late to make a film for Puja.

Upon the condition of anonymity, a director said, “That incident changed many things in the Bengali film industry. Not allowing a director to shoot his film is unacceptable and it will be remembered.” The tiff between directors and some honchos of the Federation has intensified recently when a film hairdresser reportedly tried to immolate herself due to threats by the Federation.

The unavoidable impact of the RG Kar incident

Besides the current disharmony with the Federation leaders, the Bengali film industry was also affected by the ongoing protest against the heinous rape and murder at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital that took place on August 9. Films scheduled to be released during that time got pushed after common people took to the streets to seek justice. In fact, the films – Padatik and Babli – that were released during that time failed at the box office. “I think the makers are not sure how festive the Puja will turn out to be this year,” said actor-director Parambrata Chatterjee. “There is a sense of grief and unrest. Yes, people have started shopping and gradually taking part in the regular festivity. But there is evidently some amount of uncertainty. I believe this could be a reason why small filmmakers, who earlier would release their films, decided not to,” the actor said.

Also read: Mithun Chakraborty on Shastri: The mood in Kolkata is not festive due to the RG Kar incident and I am wary of the release | Exclusive 

Not just Parambrata, Mithun, whose Shastri will be released this Puja, told OTTplay that he was skeptical about the release. “The situation in Bengal right now is not conducive to celebrating. People don’t seem to be interested in going to theatres in this condition. That’s why I am a bit skeptical. If people still flock to the theatres to watch our film, it will be great for us,” he said.

Srijit shared the same feeling. He told us, “We are just letting people know that Tekka is being released. If they want to join in the festivity, great. But you can’t force someone to be festive in this situation.”

Pan-India releases

On the other hand, Shiboprosad attributed this sparse release of Bengali films to the release of other major pan-India films. “This year, the Puja starts midweek. On 27 September 2024, Devara: Part 1 and Joker will be released. On October 11, Alia Bhatt’s Jigra and Rajkummar Rao’s Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video will be released. There will be no room. That’s why people are not releasing their films. There was a time when Bengali films used to just compete with Hindi films. These days, the South Indian films are also making money from Bengal,” said the director whose film Bohurupi will be released during Puja. Why did he decide to release it? The producer-director said, “Last year, we emerged as the winner. We are confident that people will love this one too.”