Tollygunge’s entertainment industry has got a new committee tasked with tackling some of its entrenched problems, from alleged bans on filmmakers and actors to diktats requiring producers to employ excess manpower.
But anyone expecting Tollywood to become free of political influence may be disappointed.
The newly constituted committee includes several BJP MLAs elected this year, such as Papia Adhikary (Tollygunge), Rupa Ganguly (Sonarpur South), Rudranil Ghosh (Shibpur) and Hiran Chatterjee (Kharagpur Sadar). Filmmakers Kaushik Ganguly and Srijit Mukherji are also expected to be part of the panel.
Kaushik Ganguly told Metro on Thursday evening that he had not yet received any formal communication.
“Whatever assistance is needed, I will provide. The industry must be nursed back to health, for the sake of everyone. We need the government’s support,” he said.
“The committee will ensure the industry functions smoothly. Everyone will get an opportunity to work. There will be no favouritism where one section gets all the work while others are left out,” Papiya Adhikary said on Thursday.
“This is a preliminary initiative. We have to lay out a roadmap for how the industry should function. A lot has to be done,” Adhikary added.
There will also be an advisory committee, said sources familiar with the developments.
Adhikary said the committee was reaching out to industry veterans who, she claimed, had been sidelined for years. Many senior members of the industry are distressed. We are inviting all of them, and they will get opportunities to work. People with diverse beliefs will be part of this effort, she said.
A group of filmmakers who were allegedly denied work for several months met Adhikary on June 11 and discussed the unofficial embargo.
These filmmakers are members of a guild that had a long-running dispute with the erstwhile federation headed by Swarup Biswas, brother of former minister Aroop Biswas.
The Federation of Cine Technicians and Workers of Eastern India, formerly headed by Swarup, functioned as an umbrella body representing 26 associations and guilds comprising everyone involved in film production, from directors to lighting technicians. Critics, however, alleged that it often acted like a trade union despite having no statutory regulatory authority.
The federation was dissolved after the BJP came to power. Among the allegations levelled against the body were that qualified professionals were denied work for lacking guild membership cards. Such cards could be obtained in exchange for money, reportedly ranging from ₹10,000 to ₹1 lakh. It is also alleged that producers were compelled to hire a fixed number of technicians irrespective of actual production requirements.
Swarup was arrested on June 4 on charges of extortion and allegedly seeking sexual favours from a member of the Tollygunge Makeup Artist Federation Guild.
He has been charged with sections relating to sexual harassment, extortion by putting a person in fear of death, attempt to murder, criminal intimidation, criminal conspiracy and sections of the Arms Act.
He was produced in court on Thursday.