25 reasons Bengali film industry remained in news in 2025

From reunion spectacles, social media spats to box-office clashes, court cases and inflated earnings, not to mention the return of veteran stars, Tollywood never left the spotlight in 2025.

Anuparna Roy’s Venice takeover

Purulia’s Anuparna Roy created history by becoming the first Indian to win ‘Best Director’ in the ‘Orizzonti’ section at the 82nd Venice Film Festival. Her debut feature, ‘Songs of Forgotten Trees’, put her on the global map. Post her win, Roy spoke about the responsibility that comes with recognition and her desire to tell socially relevant stories.

Reunion time

Dev and Subhashree’s on-screen reunion in ‘Dhumketu’, a Bengali film, which was lying in the cans for 10 years, was one of the most talked-about events of the year. A decade after their personal and professional separation, the duo reunited on stage for promotions, delighting fans. However, post-release exchanges between the two actors, sometimes subtle, sometimes direct, kept them in the news. Alongside performances, industry-assigned labels like ‘megastar’ for Dev and ‘lady superstar’ for Subhashree drew mixed reactions.

Old is gold

What connects ‘Ei Raat Tomar Amar’, ‘Puratawn’, ‘Aarii’, ‘Aamar Boss’, ‘Shreeman vs Shreemati’, ‘Deri Hoye Geche’ and ‘Projapoti 2’? All released in 2025 and all headlined by senior actors. From Aparna Sen and Anjan Dutt to Sharmila Tagore, Moushumi Chatterjee, Rakhee Gulzar, Mithun Chakraborty, Mamata Shankar and others, Tollywood once again leaned heavily on its veterans.

Prime-time slots for Bengali films

2025 will be remembered as the year CM Mamata Banerjee made it mandatory to screen at least one Bengali film daily during prime time between 3 pm and 9 pm. The decision was announced just before the release of ‘Dhumketu’.

First timers

2025 saw a surge of debutant directors with ambitious ideas. Jayabrata Das’ ‘The Academy of Fine Arts’ sparked a lot of conversations, while Annapurna Basu’s ‘Sharthopor’ explored sibling relationships. Biographical films like ‘Bela’ and ‘Binodini’ added diversity, though execution varied. TV actors Dibyojyoti Dutta and Jyotirmoyee Kundu made their big-screen debuts amid heavy anticipation.

Not Star but Binodini Theatre

CM Mamata Banerjee renamed Kolkata’s iconic Star Theatre as Binodini Theatre. The decision honoured 19th-century theatre pioneer Nati Binodini, correcting a long-standing historical omission. The announcement came just ahead of Rukmini Maitra’s film, ‘Binodinii’.

TV turmoil

TV actress Ditipriya Roy exited the hit show ‘Chirodini Tumi Je Amar’ after raising concerns about co-star Jeetu Kamal’s behaviour. She was later replaced by Shirin Pal. Jeetu Kamal announced his decision to quit television when the show would finally end.

Aranyer Din Ratri at Cannes

The 4k restored version of Satyajit Ray’s ‘Aranyer Din Ratri’ received a standing ovation at Cannes. Sharmila Tagore and Simi Garewal, both actors from the iconic film, were in attendance. The film also screened at KIFF and is set for a theatrical re-release in January 2026.

20 years of Dev

Dev celebrated two decades in the Bengali film industry with a mega event. From Koel Mallick to Srijit Mukherji, many industry names attended. The event also doubled up as the trailer launch of ‘Raghu Dakat’. However, the absence of Jeet Gannguli and Rukmini Maitra raised eyebrows. Actor Jeet later said he wasn’t invited, while Dev clarified it was unintentional.

Celebration time

2025 also brought personal milestones. Parambrata Chatterjee became a father, Rubel Das and Sweta Bhattacharya tied the knot and Tanushree Chakraborty married US-based technologist Suhit Basu in Las Vegas.

Nationally recognised & festival favourites

Arjunn Dutta’s ‘Deep Fridge’ won National Awards, earning praise but also raising concerns about Bengal’s declining presence at the awards compared to previous years. Meanwhile, films like ‘Putulnacher Itikatha’, ‘Nadharer Bhela’ and ‘Marichika’ were screened at the prestigious International Film Festival Rotterdam. ‘Barobabu’ and ‘Pokkhirajer Dim’ featured at the ‘Indian Panorama’ section of IFFI Goa. Rukmini Maitra-starrer ‘Haati Haati Paa Paa’ had its world premiere at IFFI.

Legends gone

The industry mourned several losses in 2025. Singer Pratul Mukhopadhyay received a gun salute at Rabindra Sadan. Actor Joy Banerjee, filmmaker Arun Roy, veteran actor Kalyan Chatterjee and TV actress Shraboni Banik passed away. The sudden death of singer-composer Zubeen Garg shocked Bengal.

Ghatak@100

2025 marked the birth centenary of Ritwik Ghatak. Retrospectives were held at IFFI and KIFF. However, the absence of major tribute films raised questions. Unlike Satyajit Ray or Mrinal Sen, Ghatak didn’t receive large-scale cinematic homage from his homegrown contemporary filmmakers. A few independent attempts existed, but they remained largely unnoticed.

Mini cinemas

The state government announced plans to set up mini cinemas across rural and suburban Bengal. The idea, suggested by Prosenjit Chatterjee, involves 50-seater air-conditioned halls. These spaces aim to promote Bengali films outside urban centres.

ED enters Tollywood

The Enforcement Directorate attached assets linked to Mimi Chakraborty and Ankush Hazra. The case relates to alleged money laundering via illegal betting platforms. Assets worth Rs 59 lakh and Rs 47.2 lakh were attached, respectively. The ED termed them proceeds of crime from endorsement deals.

Federation sets the rules

Whether films ran or flopped, the Federation of Cine Technicians and Workers of Eastern India remained in the spotlight through 2025. What started as a tussle soon snowballed into a legal battle, with directors like Parambrata Chatterjee, Subrata Sen, Sudeshna Roy, Bidula Bhattacharya, Indranil Roychowdhury and Anirban Bhattacharya moving court, alleging that arbitrary Federation rules were interfering with their work. The Calcutta High Court even asked the state to step in, but the government refused responsibility. The case was eventually dismissed. Later, Parambrata decided to step back from the legal war. The others, however, are left mostly without work. In a significant move, the Federation & SSKM joined hands to tackle the mental health crisis in Tollywood. The Federation also organised an award show to recognise the technicians.

Objections

The Federation’s influence was once again felt when Jayabrata Das’ debut ‘The Academy of Fine Arts’ was halted after objections over crew selection. Shoots by Sudeshna Roy were stalled, while Anirban Bhattacharya’s music video also faced disruption. Though Das’ film was finally released, the larger issues remained unresolved.

Festive releases under the scanner

The Screening Committee became one of the most debated developments of 2025. Set up by the state government, it capped festive releases at three Bengali films. The committee included Federation representatives, producers, exhibitors and stars. While many backed the move as business-friendly, Dev publicly voiced his opinion against such capping. The 2026 release calendar will be announced on January 19.

Friends today, foes tomorrow

Tollywood’s social media wars hit peak intensity in 2025. Friendships lasted till release day, after which mudslinging began. The Durga Puja clash between ‘Raktabeej 2’ and ‘Raghu Dakat’ turned ugly online, drawing in writers, producers and fans. A similar pattern repeated when ‘Lawho Gouranger Naam Re’, directed by Srijit Mukherji, clashed with ‘Projapoti 2’, starring Dev. Hall allocation again became the bone of contention.

Number game

With no trade magazine, box-office numbers in Bengal remain a guessing game. National multiplex figures exist, but regional data is fluid. In 2025, exaggerated collections became routine, with daily crore claims doing the rounds. Ironically, this narrative played out even as theatres continued to shut. If business is booming on paper, the ground reality tells a very different story.

Party now, profit later

Even makers whose movies recorded near-empty theatres hosted lavish success parties. Corporate bookings became common. Celebrities attended, smiled and later laughed it off privately. Success celebrations turned into inside jokes. The gap between perception and reality widened.

Jeet goes national

Jeet had no theatrical release in 2025. Yet his role as IPS Arjun Maitra in ‘Khakee: The Bengal Chapter’ earned him national attention. Among an ensemble cast, he stood out. The performance expanded his reach beyond Bengal.

Messi mess

Subhashree Ganguly faced severe trolling after attending the Messi event in Kolkata. The event became chaotic, with fans disappointed. Trolls dragged her children into the backlash. Her husband, director and TMC MLA Raj Chakraborty, filed a police complaint. Arrests followed.

Language clash

Prosenjit landed in controversy after questioning a reporter for speaking in Bengali at a Mumbai event. The clip went viral, triggering backlash. Later, he clarified his intent on social media. He said the context was misunderstood.

Saree, but no sorry

TV actor Riju Biswas faced backlash for sending unsolicited messages saying, “You look good in a sari.” Sent at odd hours, the messages angered recipients. He defended himself, saying he sends similar compliments to family members. The Internet responded with memes.