Tolly directors want neutral 3rd party to mediate terms with Federation

KOLKATA: On a typical Monday morning, Technicians’ Studio, Dassani, Bharatlaxmi Studio and Indrapuri Studio in Kolkata would be bustling with activity. But this Monday, Tollywood was unusually quiet.

The studios were silent with no work happening due to a dispute between directors and the Federation of Cine Technicians and Workers of Eastern India. The situation further worsened on Monday night with neither side willing to compromise. The Federation opposes Rahool Mukherjee as the director of his new film starring Prosenjit Chatterjee but doesn’t want Tollywood to stop working. Meanwhile, directors feel their reputation and work are at stake. They are calling for a neutral third party to mediate. As a result, Tollywood may remain deserted for a while. Until the problem is solved, the directors decided not to return to the floors.

“The Federation’s rules are making it hard for directors and producers to work in Bengal. These rules seem unfair and one-sided. This isn’t just a dispute between directors and technicians. If outsiders can’t work here, everyone is affected. We need fair laws and want a neutral third party to intervene, someone who understands law and cinema,” said directors Indranil Roychowdhury, Anirban Bhattacharya, Arindam Sil, and Raj Chakraborty in unison at a press meet at Technicians’ Studio on Monday night.

In fact, the directors also held a meeting at Prosenjit Chatterjee’s Ballygunge residence on Monday, where the actor urged all technicians to resume work. Veteran filmmaker Goutam Ghose highlighted that CM Mamata Banerjee has always supported the film and TV industry. “Technicians mustn’t lose work. Both parties should come together with mutual respect,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Federation refuses to back down from their stance. When asked about the stoppage of shootings in Bengal, Federation President Swarup Biswas on Monday said, “This is a pre-planned conspiracy.” For the past nine days, the stalemate has persisted over the ‘ban’ on director Rahool, accused of ‘unlawful’ shooting for a Bangladeshi project. The Eastern India Motion Picture Association (EIMPA) also urged everyone to resume work at the earliest.