Tollywood actor Prosenjit Chatterjee Wednesday dismissed rumours that he would be joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after news emerged that he called newly-elected MLA Rudranil Ghosh to congratulate him on his election victory.
The veteran actor said that Rudranil, who he considers his younger brother, in fact called him. He added that there were no political connotations and that it was merely a courtesy call.
“I have been acting with great respect for many years and I want to continue to do so in the future. I have one humble request to all of you - please don't put any political colour on me,” Chatterjee said in a Facebook post.
He added, “I did not call anyone; rather my younger brother called me. As a big brother, it is my duty to bless someone, and I have only done that. It has nothing to do with politics.”
The clarification came amid widespread speculation of several Tollywood actors joining the saffron camp after the BJP swept the West Bengal Assembly elections, securing 207 seats in the 294-member House and ending the All India Trinamool Congress’s (TMC) 15-year rule.
Ghosh, a BJP candidate, won from the Shibpur Assembly constituency.
Chatterjee, recently honoured with the Padma Shri, has shared screen space with Ghosh in several Bengali films.
Earlier this year, BJP MP Sukanta Majumdar visited Chatterjee’s residence to congratulate him on receiving the Padma Shri, presenting him with a “Ram Lala” idol and sweets. While termed a courtesy visit, it had fuelled speculation ahead of the polls.
Chatterjee served as chairman of the Kolkata International Film Festival from 2018 to 2022 and is currently the working president of the Artists' Forum in Tollywood.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday refused to resign following the defeat of the TMC, whose tally fell to 80 seats from 215, with Banerjee herself losing her seat—setting up a constitutional grey zone and a likely political confrontation in the state.