Theatres in Bengal cannot refuse to show Bengali films, says State Government

The West Bengal government has decided that no theatre in the state can refuse to screen a Bengali film, following complaints that regional films are being pushed out by Hindi and South Indian blockbusters. This decision was made during a meeting held at Nandan on Thursday, attended by Minister Aroop Biswas and major figures from the Bengali film industry including actor-MP Dev, actress Rituparna Sengupta, and directors Kaushik Ganguly and Shiboprosad Mukherjee.

According to filmmaker Kaushik Ganguly, Mumbai-based distributors often impose conditions on single-screen theatres, demanding that all four daily shows be allotted to Hindi films, failing which theatres are denied access to upcoming releases. This practice has led to Bengali films being dropped from schedules, even if they are recently released. Ganguly stated, “Mumbai se distributors ko sharten milti hain ki single screen theatres mein chaaron show mein Hindi filmein chalani hongi, warna nai filmein nahi milengi.”

Following the meeting, it was confirmed that all theatres in West Bengal must give Bengali films at least an initial screening opportunity. Ganguly clarified that if a film underperforms, it can be withdrawn later, but denial of a show from the outset will not be allowed. The decision aims to ensure fair screening access for Bengali films in the face of external distribution pressures.