The RG Kar Effect: Bengali filmdom faces people's boycott and trolls for 'sycophancy, drama and selective outrage'

A crisis of credibility sweeps the state as despite showing up to demand justice for the 31-year-old trainee doctor who was raped and murdered at Kolkata's state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Bengali film personalities have faced the wrath for their "long silence" during Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's regime. They have been branded as "government-pleasers", "opportunists" and "drama queens". 

The netizens have also lashed out at the celebrities' hobnobbing with Banerjee, her Trinamool Congress, several ruling party ministers and even taking the centre stage at the Chief Minister's political rallies.

Aparna Sen at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital | Photo Courtesy: Video grab from Facebook

Many of them, who also happen to be MPs and MLAs of the ruling party, have also received various inconsequential awards which are often shortlisted by Banerjee herself.

The public anger was first visible when noted Indian filmmaker Aparna Sen, who was vocal during the civil society movement against the former Left government in 2007-2008 on Singur and Nandigram issues, faced slogans of being a "sycophant" at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital where she had turned up to join the doctors' protest.

Though Aparna Sen, a symbol of a modern free-spirited woman in the Bengali movies of the 1970s, was never seen cozying up to the Chief Minister in public and even criticised her on occasions, the anger was directed for what many think is the intelligentsia's selective outrage and opportunism. With the masses taking over the reins of protest, at the moment there is no distinction between celebrities who were openly currying favour from the regime and those who were fence-sitters or silent or selectively vocal.  It rains invectives and insults cutting across their ideological positions.

Many of the celebrities from the pre-Internet and social media generation are also out of sync with the reality of the present time.

"They are dinosaurs or had done something worthwhile in the creative field in the 80s or 90s. Resting on past laurels, they have no idea how people react now when no institution or individual is trusted and technology has become a social leveller for good or bad. They live in ivory towers totally devoid of understanding of the present day scenario, the mass hysteria of social media age or thoughts of people or even their lack of real education or ability for right judgements following decades of decadence in every sphere besides a culture of mindless politics," said a senior journalist speaking to IBNS.

"Every celebrity is seen as people's enemy now," he said. "For years many urban middle class paid to watch their mediocre works or even discuss those. But this is Netflix age. People have manifold better choices. Now they have turned against them," he said. "It is an open secret now that the industry itself is a handmaid of TMC where the shots are not called by the creative people but by a political mafia."

Though filmmaker and co-actor Anjan Dutt in a Facebook post supported Sen, not many are buying it.

Several netizens have slammed both citing the silence of 'intellectuals' during the 13-year-long Mamata Banerjee regime, which was marred by countless controversies and corruption charges in various sectors, including education and healthcare. They spoke out against the government in New Delhi on communalism while sitting behind the fence in their own state. 

"Many Kolkata celebrities were talking about Uttar Pradesh rapes or Manipur violence or cow vigilantism while completely remaining silent on over 13 years of TMC misdeeds. The incredible Aug 14 night vigil changed the game. No longer can they label the gathering as one of BJP or Left followers," said senior journalist and editor Sanchita Guha. 

In his post, Anjan Dutt wrote, "I am thoroughly ashamed to hear the humiliation you faced while you were protesting at R G Kar and equally appalled to see some colleagues gleefully sharing and liking posts that try to banter your voice..."

In the comment section, one Munmum Basu wrote, "Sri Anjan Dutta, I am a great admirer of your work, but in this case, I don't agree. Selective opportunistic intellectuals don't find a place in the Bengali mindset in that way. That actress didn't get it either. Take care, sir, I bow to you, I am a blind devotee of your work."

Bhaskar Goswami wrote, "Dear Anjan Dutt, In this public write up you seem to have missed out a crucial point. After the change of regime at State post 2011, many bengal intelligentsia were rewarded with the coveted state patronage in various ways and forms for their active role in the changeover.[sic.]

"Evidently, such state patronage forced them to be myopic about the prevalent present situations of the state, be that rampant corruption, hooliganism and utter anarchy. Expectations are that the intelligentsia class including Aparna Sen should vent out in public against such anarchy, which did not happen and hence the justified public outcry against them. For me most Bengal intelligentsia have become morally bankrupt and the stated incident is symbolic expression for the entire Bengal intelligentsia class. [sic.]"

Swapnomoy Biswas wrote, "I wish you had this shame for your disputed silence over the years. I wish you'd spent at least this amount of time to write something against the ongoing disorders which you took to criticize people's behaviour towards Aparna Sen.[sic.]

"You the so-called 'artists', 'intellectuals' of Bengal are always very much fond of your needs. get to know the definition and characteristics of an artist and lastly, if speaking against injustice committed at your very own city is against your "nature" then it's a horrible disorder you're carrying with you Anjan Dutt [sic.]. Before judging the morality of the political parties, judge your own morality. At least they protest though for their own sake still they never opt to sit silent. [sic.]"

Bengali filmmaker-actor-producer Parambrata Chattopadhyay's post for his upcoming film Ei Raat Tomar Amaar starring Anjan Dutt and Aparna Sen have also met with severe backlash. A section of netizens urged cine-goers to boycott the film and the film industry, colloquially known as Tollywood.

Parambrata wrote, "#EiRaatTomarAmaar starring #AparnaSen and #AnjanDutt as a couple for the first time, releasing in cinemas on 30th August!"

The actor-filmmaker had earned flak for being in the controversial state-appointed Deocha Pachami committee for a coal project in Adivasi land though in an interview last year he clarified he had resigned from the same. But not before his reputation as a critic of the state government on issues and an independent-minded creative individual was stained.  

Saptadwipa Ghoshal writes in comments box, "boycotttollywood".

One Sonali Bose Adhikari writes, "We are not interested." Mousumi Majumdar says, "No one should go to watch."

Anisha Barui Ghosh Dastidar comments, "You have no shame at all. How dare you? You can't even show your face. If we don't go, your days and nights will become equal. Just wait and watch. If people still go to watch your movies after this, then they are not worthy of being called humans."

Filmmaker-TMC MLA Raj Chakrabarty, whose film Babli was released recently, faced the people's anger too though his wife Subhasree Ganguly, who is the film's female lead, had turned up at the Aug 14 night vigil. But that evidently did not help. 

Glimpses from night vigil | Image by Avishek Mitra/IBNS

Many celebrities have deleted their posts or turned off the comment option.

An end number of Facebook posts have mocked senior Tollywood actress Rituparna Sengupta over her way of blowing a conch shell and demanding justice for the victim.

Though Sengupta has not been linked to the ruling regime, many found her way of expressing sorrow, outright crass and comical. She deleted the post, but not before it went viral offering fodder for countless memes.

Actress-Trinamool Congress MP and popular host of the show Didi No.1, Rachana Banerjee, who after a long silence posted a video of her tears to demand justice for the victim, was mercilessly trolled. It rained memefest over her FB video.

New generation Bengali TV and film actor Rahul Dev Bose has, however, in a Facebook post admitted that the Tollywood personalities have due credit for the backlash they are facing from the netizens.

Rahul wrote on Facebook, "I stand to Apologise. Not offend. What is alarming is how we as actors have lost our connect with our audiences. During this entire protest, a huge portion of the general population has seen our posts and physical actions and have been completely unwilling to believe that we are doing so out of genuine concern. No, I do not blame them.

"Artists at one time were seen to be the harbingers of change in society. Not just entertainers. We were seen as social leaders. Today a large chunk of us are seen as media attention seeking opportunists.

"It breaks my heart to accept it but we deserve the trolling. We have through the years lost the trust and faith of our people. It reflects in our films and shows not doing well. And it reflects today when in time of a crisis, people don’t trust our actions.

"We need to work harder to be trusted by the people again. To be social leaders again. To be representatives of the hopes and expectations of our beloved audiences. Not just entertainers.

"All I beg our audiences for is a chance to prove ourselves. Believe us when we partake of the thrust to fight injustice. We will not fail you. Just my two cents. I don’t wish to cause any uproar."

Though the netizens are outpouring their anger against the film personalities, Tollywood's prominent actors and directors including A-listers like Prosenjit Chatterjee, Kaushik Ganguly, Nandita Roy, Shiboprosad Mukherjee, Mimi Chakraborty, Subhashree Ganguly, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Sohini Sarkar and others took to streets to protest against the rape-murder that has brought the state administration under scanner.

Faced with a "clear and present danger", the film industry has also planned a march to RG Kar Medical College and Hospital after assembling at Technicians' Studio on Sunday evening.

About the RG Kar Incident

A trainee doctor on the night of Aug 9 was raped and murdered at the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, which is located in North Kolkata's Belgachia area.

One person, a civic volunteer, has been arrested in connection with the case but protesting students as well as the victim's parents suspect more people are involved in the case.

The Calcutta High Court earlier this week slammed the Kolkata Police over its actions in the case and handed over the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation under judicial monitoring. 

However, a massive night vigil across West Bengal where people without political flags participated changed the game and unnerved the ruling regime of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.