Filmmaker Anik Dutta's much anticipated movie Bhobishyoter Bhoot's (Ghosts of the Future) screening has been stopped in dozens of screens from the day after it release on February 15 following an instruction allegedly from the police. The producers have lodged a complaint with Eastern India Motion Pictures Association (EIMPA) and are considering legal action, while artistes, musicians and technicians staged a dharna in protest of such extra-legal blocking of the movie.
The press release issued by the producers Kalyanmoy Chatterjee and Indira Unninayar and director Anik Dutta called the film “a social satire packed with wit and humour and is extremely relevant for our times.”
“If the police now used strong-arm tactics to stop the film from being shown it is a serious devaluation of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), the competent authority, as well as a violation of Supreme Court orders,” reads the statement.
Filmmaker Anik Dutta, actors Badshah Moitra, Kaushik Sen and composer Debojyoti Mishra among others, gathered at Esplanade on Sunday afternoon for the protest.
The police allegedly requested a preview of the film prior to its release to decide whether the movie could create law and order problems, but the producers refused to oblige.
Many from Tollywood reacted on social media platforms against such coersive measures. Actor Abir Chatterjee Tweeted, "Not only because I am an artist but as a logical human being we all should believe in freedom of expression and I just wish it is retained at any cost to keep the sanity of our society intact".
Actor Parambrata Chatterjee tweeted, "Just heard about Bhobishyoter Boot being taken off theatres. If this is for any political reason it's abominable. The idea is to deal with dissent and criticism, not shun it. Let's welcome different voices. People will anyway choose what they deem right".
Filmmaker Srijit Mukherji said, "Paraphrasing Chomsky, if you don't believe in freedom of expression of people you disagree with, you don't believe in it at all. One can argue, counter, reject, criticise, ignore avoid but one cannot forcibly stop others from making their own judgement. In solidarity with the cast and crew of Bhobishyoter Bhoot as I was with cast and crew of Padmavati, Herbert, The Accidental Prime Minister and Daangaa".
Pink director Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury tells, "A film is an artiste's expression. It is up to the audience to accept it or reject it. No other factors should control it. Bhobishyoter Bhoot should come back to theatres immediately. It's my earnest appeal to my own city".