Bhobishyoter Bhoot

Bhobishyoter Bhoot
Film poster
Directed byAnik Dutta
CinematographyAvik Mukhopadhyay
Edited byArghyakamal Mitra
Music byDebojyoti Mishra
Distributed byStar Synergy Entertainment
Release date
  • 15 February 2019 (2019-02-15)
CountryIndia
LanguageBengali

Bhobishyoter Bhoot (Bengali: ভবিষ্যতের ভূত, lit. 'Future Ghosts') is a 2019 Indian Bengali-language satirical comedy film directed by Anik Dutta. The film was released on 15 February 2019.[1] Despite its similar topics, Dutta states that it is not a sequel to his film, Bhooter Bhabishyat (2012).[2] All single and multiple screen theaters were stopped from showing the film immediately after release citing "orders from upper management".[3][4][5] Various leading newspapers quoted unnamed sources, as well as Dutta, saying that the West Bengal police had issued these instructions to the theatres.[6]

Plot

Calcuttan Ghosts were rendered homeless as all the old haunted buildings were converted into multistoried buildings and malls. Various types of ghosts like politician, extortionist, cabaret dancer, Jatra actor are there. They constantly face certain social and political issues confronting the present times and also marginalized by their shrinking habitat in the real world, they conjecture whether they should find a place in the virtual world or cyberspace for their survival. Some of them take shelter in a disused refugee camp. They plan to make themselves fit for the new world and fight against injustices. And finally find a very novel solution to their existential crisis.[7] [8]

Cast

  • Paran Banerjee as Mrityunjoy Biswas, Natasurjo
  • Chandrayee Ghosh as Miss Rupali
  • Barun Chanda as Harisadhan Ray aka Harry, the ghost of a manager of old British Mercantile Firm
  • Sabyasachi Chakraborty as Bhuter raja
  • Kaushik Sen as Ambubachi Dutta, a leader of the ruling political party
  • Shataf Figar as Alex
  • Chandan Sen as film producer.
  • Shantilal Mukherjee as the editor of a popular newspaper
  • Kanchan Mullick as Bhuto, a side role actor
  • Debolina Dutta as Mokkhoda aka Motibai, an widow daner ghost who later become feminist
  • Swastika Mukherjee in a guest appearance as ghost of Batabibala
  • Rimjhim Mitra as a Ghost of an Singer
  • Moon Moon Sen in a guest appearance as Madam Jessica aka Miss J, an Anglo-Indian dance trainer
  • Kharaj Mukherjee in a guest appearance as Bishtu Mondal
  • Rachel White as lead dancer in opening credit scenes
  • Siddhartha Chatterjee as an organizer of Ghost-walk
  • Badshah Maitra as Director Khonik
  • Arunava Dutta as Biru, Production Manager
  • Reshmi Sen as Sangeeta Sur, a ghost of Rabindra Sangeet artist
  • Deboprasad Halder as assistant director
  • Sumanta Mukherjee as Samyabrata Sarkar, the ghost of a left-wing party worker.
  • Amit Saha as Bholanath Khara, an anti-social ghost who once used to be an artist.
  • Sourav Chakraborty as Satyajit, a freelance investigating journalist
  • Sumit Samaddar in a guest appearance
  • Sibaji Bandopadhay as ghost-expert Nidhiram Banerjee aka Nidhu-babu
  • Pradip Mitra as an organizer of Ghost-walk
  • Sanjay Biswas in a guest appearance

Controversy

Right after the release, the film was removed from different theatres in Kolkata.[9][10] The de facto ban was accordingly criticised as "fascist" (by noted actor Soumitra Chatterjee[11] and actor-director Aparna Sen[12]), "condemnable" (by director Srijit Mukherji[13]), "extremely undemocratic" (by economist and London School of Economics Professor Maitreesh Ghatak),[14] and as an "infringement on one’s fundamental right to view a film" (by an editorial in The Statesman (India)).[15] Other scholars and commentators termed the de facto ban "clearly unconstitutional" and in violation of Indian Supreme Court precedents,[8] and an example of "liberal hypocrisy" (considering the ostensibly left-liberal credentials of the Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee).[16] When asked about the incident, Banerjee told the press: "I will not answer. Don’t ask me this question."[17] Various processions and marches have been carried out to protest against the ban.[18][19] A writ petition against the ban has been filed before the Calcutta High Court by film enthusiasts.[20] The Supreme Court ordered the West Bengal government to pay compensation of Rs 20 lakh to Kalyanmoy Billy Chatterjee, producer of the film Bhobishyoter Bhoot, for imposing a “virtual ban” on the screening of the movie. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on the Mamata Banerjee-led government, "Free speech cannot be gagged for fear of the mob", the court said. It expressed concern over "growing intolerance" in society against artistic freedom.[21]

References

  1. ^ "I have said everything in my film". The Times of India. 11 January 2019. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  2. ^ "Bhobishyoter Bhut not a sequel to Bhooter Bhabishyat". Retrieved 16 February 2019.
  3. ^ "রাজনৈতিক সিস্টেমকে প্রশ্নের মাসুল? আচমকা বন্ধ 'ভবিষ্যতের ভূত'-এর প্রদর্শন". Anandabazar Patrika (in Bengali). Retrieved 16 February 2019.
  4. ^ "রিলিজের পরের দিনই শহরের একাধিক সিনেমা হলে বন্ধ 'ভবিষ্যতের ভূত'". thewall.in (in Bengali). 16 February 2019. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
  5. ^ "Screening of Bengali film 'Bhobisyoter Bhoot' stopped a day after release". Archived from the original on 18 February 2019. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
  6. ^ "Calcutta plexes pull out 'satire' after cop warnings". www.telegraphindia.com. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
  7. ^ "মুভি রিভিউ 'ভবিষ্যতের ভূত': শাসকের দিকে আঙুল তুলে মানুষ ভূতে বিলীন হয়েছে". Retrieved 16 February 2019.
  8. ^ a b "Why Was 'Bhobishyoter Bhoot' Banned Even in the Absence of Protests?". The Wire. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  9. ^ "Politically-sensitive Bengali film Bhobishyoter Bhoot removed from Kolkata cinema halls". India Today. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
  10. ^ "'Bhobishyoter Bhoot' screening stopped, director Anik Dutta receives full support from film fraternity". The Times of India. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
  11. ^ "Soumitra Chatterjee Calls Mamata Govt 'Fascist' in Open Letter". The Quint. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
  12. ^ "Bhobishyoter Bhoot: Aparna Sen and Soumitra Chatterjee joins protest against the film ban". India Today. 11 March 2019. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  13. ^ Mukherji, Srijit (10 March 2019). "#BhobishyoterBhootpic.twitter.com/dmoqVj7b5b". @srijitspeaketh. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  14. ^ Maitreesh Ghatak on illegal Ban, 1 March 2019, retrieved 5 March 2019
  15. ^ "Exit the Ghost". The Statesman. 21 February 2019. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
  16. ^ "'Bhobishyoter Bhoot': Liberal hypocrisy is West Bengal's living ghost from the past". www.dailyo.in. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  17. ^ "Mamata Banerjee Ducks Question on Bhobishyoter Bhoot Screening Stop by Police". newsmen.in. 18 February 2019. Archived from the original on 5 May 2019. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  18. ^ "Bhobishyoter Bhoot: Actors, filmmakers take out rally to protest withdrawal of film from theatres". The Indian Express. 11 March 2019. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  19. ^ "Protests After Satirical Bengali Film Pulled Out Of Theatres Post Release". NDTV.com. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  20. ^ "Bhobishyoter Bhoot". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  21. ^ "SC orders West Bengal to pay 'Bhobishyoter Bhoot' producer Rs 20 lakh for 'virtual ban' on film". 11 April 2019.