A group of filmmakers from the Bengali film industry met the state information and cultural affairs department secretary to air their grievances against the Federation of Cine Technicians and Workers of Eastern India (FCTWEI) though no representatives from the federation were present.
It was not clear immediately whether the federation representatives will meet the state officials separately.
During the hearing on a contempt petition filed by 13 filmmakers last week, the state’s counsel had informed Justice Amrita Sinha of the Calcutta High Court that a state official will hear the aggrieved filmmakers.
In her order Justice Sinha had said, “It will be open for the secretary to hear all the necessary parties and ensure that the issues faced by the petitioners are resolved at the earliest. The right to life and livelihood; carry on trade, practice and business shall not be interfered with by any party whatsoever.”
Justice Sinha also said: “All the parties… will participate in the hearing irrespective of the fact whether any further notice is issued or not. The fate of the hearing shall be made known to the court on the returnable date.”
Trouble between the federation and the filmmakers has been brewing on for several years.
Despite assurances from chief minister Mamata Banerjee on a solution to resolve the differences, especially the frequent complaints on the federation’s alleged interference and high-handedness, no solution has emerged yet.
Some of the filmmakers who attended Wednesday evening’s meeting had their shootings cancelled as the technicians did not turn up on the sets or location without assigning any reasons.
Wednesday’s meeting, attended by filmmakers including Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Sudeshna Roy, Subrata Sen, Indranil Roychowdhury and others, marks the state’s first formal attempt to engage with the aggrieved parties since the court’s directive.
Anirban Bhattacharya, who is currently abroad, and filmmaker Devashish Chakraborty could not attend today's meeting.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, actor-director Parambrata Chattopadhyay said, “It was a positive and affirmative meeting. Today we have conveyed to the government our views, which we have wanted to say for so long but were unable to."
Filmmaker Sudeshna Roy said, “We submitted our views before the secretary of the information and culture department. It was a positive meeting."
Both Chattopadhyay and Roy maintained this was just a hearing and no conclusive plan of action was to be expected from the meeting.
"The government heard our side today. They will also hear the federation's views and submit a report before the court. And the court will then take an appropriate decision," said filmmaker Indranil Roy Chowdhury.
The 13 filmmakers, including Sudeshna Roy, Subrata Sen, Ashis Sen Choudhury, Sumit Dam, Bidula Bhattacharya, Devashish Chakraborty, Kingshuk De, Prasenjit Mallick and Saurav Bhattacharya, had earlier termed the Federation’s behaviour as “Tughlaqi” and its practices “arbitrary”.
There was no official response from the Federation following the meeting.
The state government is expected to submit its report to the high court based on inputs from today’s meeting.
Justice Sinha will review the status of the contempt petition on July 23.
Are the filmmakers optimistic that their right to work will be protected after this meeting? They are not sure.
"I cannot predict that. I was on paternity leave in the last few weeks. I don't know if I will face non-cooperation when I return to work," Parambrata said.