A social media storm erupted in the Bengali entertainment industry this week after television host and actress Paroma Banerjee likened the recently released Hoichoi web series Dainee to a “jatra-type” production. The comment, perceived by many as derogatory towards Bengal’s traditional folk theatre, has sparked sharp reactions from fellow artistes and supporters of the jatra form.
Dainee, starring Mimi Chakraborty and directed by Nirjhar Mitra, has been making waves on the streaming platform. However, Paroma, known for her stint as the spirited host of Rojgere Ginni, took to social media to express her displeasure with the series, calling it reminiscent of jatra — a comparison that many interpreted as a put-down.
This did not sit well with veteran jatra performer Kakoli Choudhury, who issued a stern response. In a strongly worded post, she rebuked Paroma, saying, “Jatra has many devoted children who will not tolerate such disrespect. Be cautious with your pen. You’ve spent most of your life in air-conditioned rooms — what do you know of the pain and perseverance behind jatra?”
She went on to challenge Paroma to perform under the open sky, on a dry wooden stage for three hours while dancing, acting, and singing — just as jatra artistes do night after night.
Actor Rahul Banerjee also weighed in, posting a video message on social media where he defended the integrity and skill involved in jatra performances. “Paroma-di, who told you jatra is all about loud acting? I have done jatra myself. Performing for hours under the harsh glare of stage lights in front of unforgiving audiences is no joke,” he said, expressing deep disappointment.
He also took issue with Paroma’s apparent lack of familiarity with jatra legends Onal and Kakoli. “If you don’t know them, it’s you who should be ashamed,” he added. Rahul ended his video with pointed advice: “If you call yourself an artist, learn to respect other forms of art first.”
Veteran actress Swastika Mukherjee, too, joined the chorus — recalling her father, the late actor Santu Mukhopadhyay’s long association with jatra. Sharing a poster of his first jatra play Rajbikhari, she wrote, “Years ago, my father wrote an article titled ‘Only riffraff do jatra’ for a major newspaper. Now I see that conversation resurfacing. So I thought of sharing something about the so-called riffraff in my own home.”
Swastika reminisced about attending her father’s jatra shows as a child and the emotional impact it had on her. “He had a beard in that play, and I remember crying because I couldn’t recognize my own father. That’s how real it felt. Watching him made me realise how demanding this art form is — which is why I never had the courage to do it myself, even though I received offers.”