Actor-director-musician Anirban Bhattacharya remains defiant in the face of criticism over a satirical performance that has divided public opinion. His latest show has drawn both lavish praise and bitter condemnation, but the artiste insists it’s his job to “respond to what is happening around us.”

Bhattacharya found himself at the centre of controversy following a live performance by his band, Hooliganism, at a concert on Sunday. The group performed a satirical song loaded with political references, touching on everything from the Prime Minister to contentious policies like SIR and a Hindu Rashtra project.

The song particularly targeted three Bengal politicians who share the surname Ghosh but represent different parties. To their credit, Kunal Ghosh of Trinamool, Dilip Ghosh of the BJP, and Satarup Ghosh of the CPM responded with good humour— two even praised the performance, joining countless others who appreciated the show.

On social media, the actor-musician drew effusive praise for his performance. But along with the voices of support, there were multitudes of users who expressed offence, launching attacks and abuse against Bhattacharya. Critics accused him of selective outrage, labelled him an “Urban Naxal” and “anti-Hindu,” and demanded an unconditional apology.

“Why should I apologise? As artistes, we respond to what is happening around us. That is what we have done, with a dose of humour. We are looking forward to the next show,” Bhattacharya told Metro on Thursday.

The artiste noted that he largely escaped the worst of the online backlash due to his limited social media presence. “It was a live performance. Many in the audience recorded it and posted clips on social media. I’m hardly active on social media — I use X mainly for film promotions but otherwise remain mostly dormant. So I haven’t had to bear the brunt of the attack first-hand,” Bhattacharya said.

In a lengthy conversation with Metro, Bhattacharya expressed deep concern about rising intolerance in the country.

“It seems that the country has turned into a hub of intolerance,” he said. “The State, with all the power at its disposal, is supposed to curb intolerance. It should use education as a tool to fight it and implement policies that reduce division. But instead of fighting intolerance, the State is promoting it. The forces that stoke hatred to pit people against each other are becoming stronger.”

This isn’t Bhattacharya’s first foray into political commentary through art.

During the high-stakes 2021 Assembly elections, Bhattacharya had joined other acclaimed Bengal artists in a music video warning against the politics of hate. The video, featuring a song written by Bhattacharya, included the recurring assertion: “I am not going anywhere/I’ll live in my country.”

“Artistes speak, react and protest through their own medium— films, theatre, music, poetry and so on. But there has been an attempt to destroy that medium of protest,” he had said at the time.

Bhattacharya is aware that BJP leader Tarunjyoti Tewari has filed a police complaint against him for allegedly “hurting” religious sentiments. When asked about the complaint, he simply said, “I have nothing to say. Let us see what happens.”

Fellow actor Rudranil Ghosh, who supports the BJP, has joined others demanding an unconditional apology. Bhattacharya’s response was pointed: “Why do they think that they are the gatekeepers of a thousand-year-old practice?”

Critics have accused Bhattacharya of remaining silent during the RG Kar protests and on corruption allegations against the Bengal government. The artist acknowledged that staying out of the RG Kar protests was a deliberate choice.

“I am politically and socially conscious. But after serious and detailed scrutiny, I decided that I am no longer going to be part of a circular loop where your work and protest keep getting overlapped,” he said on Thursday.

“If you want a change in the current order of things, a radical societal change, you have to toil for it. Just giving statements on social media or media bytes would not help. I would much rather concentrate on my job,” Bhattacharya said.