This story is from November 6, 2012

Teen Kanya director fights back Didi

Mumbai Mirror / Updated: Jan 11, 2017, 20:59 IST

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After banning IPS officer Nazrul Islam��s book that critiques Mamata Bannerjee��s policies, which are often labelled pro-Muslim, a few months back, the Mamata government has stopped the screening of Rituparna Sengupta starrer Teen Kanya��a film based on the controversial Park Street rape case.
Despite acquiring a censor board certification, the film was dropped from the state-run Star Theatre within 24 hours of its release.
The move by the Information and Culture Ministry that is overseen by the Chief Minister herself has been criticised by the Bengali film industry. Interestingly, state education minister Bratya Basu is a part of the film that released on Friday. To TOI, director Agnidev Chatterjee said, ��This is totally unacceptable. Why the movie has been dropped by the theatre is unknown. I am not a political filmmaker neither have I attempted to send out a political message through my film. If my film is influenced by the Park Street rape case, the government has not been blamed in any way. Bratya Basu, the education minister has acted in my film and he has watched it also.��
Expressing her shock,actress Rituparna said,��It is a social film and there is nothing objectionable. It is a thriller.It was running successfully post release.We put in alot of effort in it and I think the government will understand that.�� When contacted, the Director of Information and Culture, Umapada Chatterjee claimed,��We have no role in the withdrawal of the film from StarTheatre.Wedonothaveanycontrol over the movie theatre. It is controlled by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation.��

On the other hand, surprisingly, Basudeb Banerjee, State Home Secretary told us, ��The state government has no role in withdrawal of the film. It is completely baseless. Kolkata Municipal Corporation had given the multiplex in contract to a private company and it is the sole discretion of that company to select the movies which will run there.��
And while it is still unclear as to who was behind the theatre��s decision to drop the film just 24 hours post release, the makers have decided to take legal action. ��The distributor of the film is moving Calcutta High Court against the government-run movie theatre,�� said the director.

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