Tollywood roundup: Arindam’s short film on corona awareness, Hobu Chandra Gobu Chandra getting postponed, here’s what made headlines this week

The coronavirus pandemic has swept away Tollywood just like other film industries worldwide and India. Be it the shoots of different films getting stalled or a number of releases postponed, if you have missed the exciting news, gossips or latest developments that have rocked Bengali cinema this week, here is a weekly roundup for you. Take a look:

We had seen it during the Janta Curfew, and this time again not just the common mass, but on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi received plenty of support from Bengali film industry at 9 pm. Tolly celebs including Rituparna Sengupta, Srabanti Singh, Rukmini Maitra and others made sure to switch off their lights for nine minutes at 9 pm and took part in lighting lamps, diyas and mobile flashlights, torches from their balconies to show solidarity towards the fight against coronavirus.

The recent congregation at Delhi’s Nizamuddin Markaz, and after that several attendees getting diagnosed with COVID-19, has led to a widespread criticism. The latest name from the film fraternity to slam the incident is Aparna Sen. The ‘Ghawre Bairey Aaj’ director called Tablighi Jamaat’s arrangement of the meet a ‘criminal and dangerous’ act and urged it shouldn’t go ‘unpunished.’ The National Award-winning filmmaker, popular for taking a stand against the government often for issues such as lynchings and the recent Citizenship Amendment Act, also said she is ‘secularist and liberal’, but she can’t support any act that’s against the laws of the country, irrespective of the religion and the community one belongs to.

It was supposed to be a busy month for Dev in May. While Aniket Chattopadhyay’s ‘Hobu Chandra Raja Gobu Chandra Mantri’, bankrolled by Dev’s home production, was scheduled to hit the theatres on May 1. Dev’s another film Avijit Sen’s ‘Tonic’ where he plays one of the leads was set for a May 8 release. Not only acting, dev is also co-producing ‘Tonic’ alongside Bengal Talkies. However, on Monday Dev announced due to the current scenario in the wake of the novel coronavirus pandemic the release of ‘Hobu Chandra Raja Gobu Chandra Mantri’ has been stalled. The makers used an animated video from the upcoming film to reveal the news.

Bengali folk artiste Ratan Kahar suddenly finds himself in the headlines as never before. It’s the sort of pan-India limelight he didn't enjoy even when at the peak of his success - when he created the all-time Bengali folk-pop hit ‘Boroloker biti lo’ all those decades ago in 1972 along with many other hit folk songs. Now, according to industry sources, rapper Badshah has kept his promise. He has sent Rs 5 lakh rupees to the veteran folk artiste amid the lockdown. On Monday, Badshah’s team sent the money to Kahar’s bank account online and it has left the artist is pretty much happy to receive it. He has even thanked the rapper over the phone. He has even asked Badshah to come over his place in Siuri when the lockdown is over.

Young actor Aryann Bhowmik who was in self-quarantine after had returning from the South Africa schedule of Srijit Mukherji’s upcoming film ‘Kakababur Protyaborton’ was in mandatory self-isolation for 14 days just like Srijit and co-star ‘Kakbabu’ Prosenjit Chatterjee. Aryann didn’t leave the room for two weeks as per government guideline. Well, he didn’t just read books or polish his painting skills, binge watch Netflix, play Xbox or video chat with friends and close ones. He made a short film in his quarantine days and on Wednesday, he took to Twitter to share his latest work with all. Titled ‘Lockdown’, the short has been shot on the last day of his room quarantine and Aryann is happy to share his first completely “self made” short film with all.

Arindam Sil is set to direct a five-minute awareness film on the pandemic, starring Prosenjit Chatterjee, Jeet, Abir Chatterjee, Mimi Chakraborty, Nusrat Jahan and Parambrata Chatterjee, Paran Bandopadhyay, Subhashree and Rukmini Maitra. The profit from the project will go to daily wage earners and technicians of the industry. Conceptualised by West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, the script has been jointly written by Padmanabha Dasgupta and Arindam. There is a song, Jhor Theme Jaabe, which is penned by CM herself. Music will be composed by Bickram Ghosh.