New Delhi: The West Bengal government’s move to mandate the screening of one Bengali film at every theatre during prime hours has been met with jubilation by industry stakeholders.
“In every cinema hall and in all screens of every multiplex across the state, 365 prime time shows / screenings of Bengali films shall mandatorily be held throughout the year with at least one Bengali show per day for all 365 days during the year,” read the notification issued by the state information and cultural affairs department dated 13 August 2025.
Prime time slot refers to movies screened between 3 to 9 pm. The move was cleared on 7 August before the official notification was shared.
“On behalf of all the artists of the federation, we extend our heartfelt gratitude and thanks to the honourable Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mrs Mamata Banerjee,” read a Facebook post by the Federation of Cine Technicians and Workers of East India, who were part of the initiative to push for the screenings.
This is not the first time such a move has been introduced in West Bengal. In 2018, the government had directed movie theatres to screen at least one Bengali movie during the prime time for a minimum of 120 days a year.
“This is a timely and vital step for the Bengali film industry, particularly when certain big production houses from Mumbai have been imposing arm-twisting “no show-sharing” policies — forcing single screens to dedicate all shows to just one film. While multiplexes may withstand such demands, single screens cannot. The result has been a shrinking space for small- and mid-budget Bengali films, many of which are denied any theatrical run at all,” screenwriter and creative producer Zinia Sen said to ThePrint.
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Industry reactions
The latest notification is the second initiative this year aimed at promoting the industry. The West Bengal government had taken a new step earlier this month to streamline the process of setting up mini-cinema halls across the state.
The move comes almost a month after CM Mamata Banerjee launched a statewide “Bhasha Andolan” (language movement) from 17 July to protest the alleged harassment of Bengali-speaking people in the BJP-ruled states.
“This policy will not only give films a fair chance to reach audiences but will also help preserve the diversity and cultural vitality of Bengali cinema. Just as Maharashtra and the southern states show unwavering loyalty to their mother tongue in cinema, Bengal too must strengthen its commitment to its language and heritage. This move is a meaningful step in that direction,” said Sen.
Other stakeholders in the industry have also welcomed the government’s decision.
“A timely, thoughtful step for Bengali cinema. Gratitude to the Hon’ble CM and Shri Aroop Biswas for ensuring a daily prime-time slot quietly strengthening our industry all year,” wrote Mahendra Soni, co-founder of SVF, the biggest production company in the state. He tagged Banerjee, and actor and TMC MLA Dev Adhikari in his X post.
This is also a crucial year for SVF, whose ambitious Raghu Dakat starring Dev is slated to release on Durga Puja. It is set to clash with Windows Productions’ Raktabeej 2 and Subhrajit Maitra’s Devi Chaudhurani. All three are big-budget films, with expectations of robust box office collections for the film industry.
Producer Rana Sarkar, whose stalled project Dhumketu starring Dev and Subhashree Ganguly released today, mentioned the notification will be put into practice from next Friday.
“More films will be made, more finance will come as market scope will be larger, and new talent will also get work,” said Sarkar.
But there is also a word of caution.
“As exhibitors, we have taken a stand to promote the Bengali film industry by agreeing to have one film per day in our theatres. It is now on the makers and actors to produce quality content,” said Arijit Dutta, owner of the single-screen theatre Priya Cinema at Rash Behari Avenue in Kolkata.
(Edited by Theres Sudeep)