‘Bhobishyoter Bhoot’: All you need to know about the controversy

Cine lovers and the entire Tollywood industry in Kolakata are up in arms. On Sunday, a large group of people organized a sit-in protest in Kolkata after Anik Dutta’s political satire ‘Bhobishyoter Bhoot’ was withdrawn from almost every multiplexes and single screen theatres in Bengal. Even thespian Soumitra Chatterjee shot off a letter, claiming the decision “vindictive” and “undemocratic” and a “fascist policy”. The movie had released on 66 screens across 44 cinema halls in Kolkata on Friday, 15 February. Here we take a close look at the main controversies surrounding ‘Bhobishyoter Bhoot’.

The movie was first embroiled in a legal battle with a top production house that had bankrolled the 2012 superhit ‘Bhooter Bhobishyat’ directed by Anik Dutta himself. He had been sent a legal notice saying he wasn’t allowed to make the sequel of Bhooter Bhobishyat. Dutta, however, won the case as he repeatedly said ‘Bhobishyoter Bhoot’ is not a sequel to the earlier film. The director made it clear the right of ‘Bhooter Bhobishyot’ was actually sold without his knowledge and he knows the dark alleys of industry politics. But, the filmmaker didn’t want to attract any more controversies as he assured people will understand everything in the film.

‘Bhobishyoter Bhoot’ opened on Friday to positive reviews and director Anik Dutta was elated to finally receive so much appreciation for his much talked about ‘Bhobishyoter Bhoot’. But on Saturday, when the film was taken off from almost all multiplexes and single screen theatres in West Bengal, the incident left him speechless. Anik Dutta says he has no clue why ‘Bhobishyoter Bhoot’ was taken off. The film is a dark comedy and explores the current political scenario with a touch of comic relief. Many believe the criticisms didn’t go down well with the political quarters and they allegedly coerced distributors and hall owners to stop screening the film immediately.

Director Anik Dutta and producer Kalyanmay Chattopadhyay on Sunday disclosed an e-mail which suggests ahead of the release of ‘Bhobishyoter Bhoot’, on February 11, the State Intelligence Unit reportedly wrote to the producer Kalyanmoy Chatterjee regarding a private screening 'on a priority basis'. However, the request was turned down. The film – a dark comedy that allegedly explores the current political scenario – had already been cleared by the Central Board of Film Certification. They asked for the special screening because there was reportedly prior information that it might 'hurt public sentiments which may lead to political law and order issues'.

Film lovers and youth activists on Sunday organised a sit-in protest against the withdrawal of the film from almost all multiplexes and single screen theatres in Bengal. The sit-in was mainly organised by fans and Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) activists outside Star Theatre, one of the oldest commercial Bengali theatre where the entire ‘Bhobishyoter Bhoot’ team along with a number of film personalities and poets were present.

Anik Dutta had apparently raised questions against West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s style of functioning last year. During a panel discussion at the Kolkata International Film Festival in November 2018 he said Mamata Banerjee allegedly encouraged a culture of sycophancy and that her pictures were all over one of the festival’s key venues Nandan. Many believe, in Anik films there are a number of satire elements regarding politicians taking bribe during sting operation, some controversial words like ‘ma mati mafia’ have been used in the film. However, the director strongly denies his film doesn’t have any words like ‘ma mati mafia’.