Kolkata: The recent deadlock in the Bengali film industry may have been resolved with the timely intercession of the West Bengal chief minister, but there lingers an atmosphere of uncertainty over the number of Puja releases this year. The filming of all movies, television shows, and web series recommenced on Thursday, but the shooting of SVF puja release that had sparked the protests remains undetermined.
Despite multiple instances of addressing the media, not a single word was uttered by any representative of the Federation of Cine Technicians Workers of Eastern India (FCTWEI) on whether or not the technicians will accept Rahool Mukherjee as the director of the Prosenjit Chatterjee and Anirban Bhattacharya starrer. A conclusive decision is expected to be taken by FCTWEI on Monday.
As things stand now, there might be three Puja releases on Panchami this year – Nandita Roy and Shiboprosad Mukherjee’s ‘Bohurupi’ starring Abir Chatterjee and Ritabhari Chakraborty, Srijit Mukherji’s ‘Tekka’ starring Dev, Swastika Mukherjee and Rukmini Maitra and Pathikrit Basu’s ‘Shastri’ starring Mithun Chakraborty, Saswata Chatterjee and Debashree Roy. Shooting of all three are over while Mukherjee’s film is yet to go to the floors. “Currently, we are working on the graphics. We will release ‘Shastri’ during the pujas,” Pathikrit said. Shiboprosad also is looking forward to his Puja release. “We are working on the post-production now,” he said. Srijit, who finished shooting of ‘Tekka’ in July, too is working on the post-production.
In the recent past, every Durga Puja has had at least one SVF release. This year, there is no definite word yet on SVF’s puja release. The commencement of shooting for Rahool’s SVF film is uncertain. Cinematographer Soumik Halder, who found himself thrust in the middle of the controversy when his name was proposed as the director in place of Rahool Mukherjee for the SVF film, is still hopeful of a puja release for the Prosenjit-starrer.
Swarup Biswas, the president of FCTWEI, informed TOI: “We will have a discussion on Monday. Following our meeting, we will address the media. This is not a wrestling arena. We do not intend to impede any shooting. All we desire is to adhere to norms.”
“The FCTWEI has not yet given any official version on accepting Rahool as a director. Even if FCTWEI agrees to shoot with Rahool after Monday’s meeting, it still implies a wastage of shooting days and dates of artists,” a director told TOI on conditions of anonymity.