Bengali film screenings daily in all halls and multiplexes, state orders

Indian Express

5 days ago

The West Bengal government has mandated the screening of at least one Bengali film each in all cinema halls and multiplexes across the state every day. The order, issued by the Information & Cultural Affairs department, aims to encourage the Bengali film industry.
'The notification, dated August 13, 2025, references a previous notification from September 14, 2018, and states that in every cinema hall and all screens of multiplexes, a mandatory show of at least one Bengali film must be held throughout the year for 365 days,' it read.
The order further states that necessary amendments to the West Bengal Cinemas (Regulation of Public Exhibition) Rules, 1956, will be made to formalise this directive. It comes into immediate effect and will remain in force until further orders. The notification was signed by the Principal Secretary to the Government of West Bengal.
Aroop Biswas, state Minister of Public Works and Youth Affairs, later held a press announcement on the directive. He said the decision, made after two meetings, aims to ensure Bengali movies are screened throughout the year.
'It's very happy news,' Biswas said. 'Our Chief Minister, who loves culture, has come up with this directive to promote the Bengali language and film industry. Previously, prime time was from 12 pm to 9 pm, so most screens used to show Bengali movies at 12 pm. Now, we have changed the prime time slot to 3 pm to 9 pm.'
He explained that instead of the earlier requirement of showing 120 Bengali films a year, each screen will now have to show one Bengali movie daily — 365 films annually. He broke this down for multiplexes: a two-screen multiplex will have to screen 730 films annually, three screens 1,095, and four screens 1,460. Biswas called the rule a 'historic step'.
Indranil Sen, Minister of Information and Cultural Affairs, echoed this sentiment, calling it a 'historic day not only for cinema but for the revival of Bengali ashmita (identity) and culture.' He added that it will provide a 'vast platform' for small producers who previously struggled to find venues to exhibit their work. Actress Rituparna Sengupta also welcomed the move, saying, 'It is a much-needed step. I have been fighting for this. I am happy that this has been done today.'
On possible financial losses due to low viewership, Biswas said: 'We review the viewership. Today, Bengali cinemas are more popular than Hindi. Word-of-mouth publicity also results in huge hits.'
Ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, the Bengali language has emerged as a significant political issue, with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government actively promoting its use. This push for Bengali pride, or 'Bangla Asmita,' is seen as a key strategy to counter the BJP and appeal to local identity.
A recent example is the Kolkata Municipal Corporation's directive making it mandatory for shops and businesses to display signboards in Bengali, alongside any other languages. While the TMC frames this as a necessary step to protect the state's cultural heritage, opposition parties have criticised it as a political ploy.
The language debate has also been fuelled by allegations of mistreatment and 'linguistic discrimination' against Bengali-speaking migrant workers in some BJP-ruled states — a charge the TMC has used to target the BJP and position itself as the protector of Bengali identity.