Poll disrupts Bengali film releases, stars busy with campaign

Acclaimed director Kaushik Ganguly's much-awaited IFFI award-winning 'Cinemawala' is one among several films whose release has been postponed because of the multi-phase Assembly election in West Bengal starting early next month.

The films will be released in theatres either in mid-May or June, according to industry sources.

Kaushik had earlier said he was looking for a Bangla Nababarsho (Bengali New Year) release (mid April).

Similarly, Aniket Chatterjee's 'Shankar Mudi', which had been slotted for a mid-April release (coinciding with Bangla Nabobarsho) will now be released in May after the end of the election.

"Yes, we have taken the decision about not releasing 'Shankar Mudi' now due to the fortcoming election," Aniket said about the film which interestingly stars fellow director and actor Kaushik Ganguly.

With election knocking on the door, director-actor Arindam Sil wrapped up shooting for his 'Eagaler Chokh' (Eagle's Eye), the sequel of Ebar Shabor in time to concentrate full time on campaigning for Mamata Banerjee. "I am ready to campaign for my leader," Arindam, who was inducted into the TMC fold by Mamata sometime back, said. Superstar-MP of Trinamool Congress Dev has postponed taking up an ambitious project with friend-director Raj Chakroborty.