Modern take on Tagore’s Chandalika triggers backlash, Mamata Shankar responds

A recent episode of a popular Bengali dance reality show has sparked controversy after a clip showing actress Debleena Dutt as Buddhist monk Ananda and contestant Anushka as Prakriti performing a modern take on Rabindranath Tagore’s Chandalika, went viral. Instead of staying true to the original plot, the duo danced to Tere Bina Zindagi Se Koi from the 1975 film Aandhi, drawing widespread criticism from netizens. The episode, aired earlier this week and featured Mamata Shankar as a guest judge, alongside Mithun Chakraborty, Ankush, Subhashree Ganguly, Jisshu U Sengupta, and Koushani Mukherjee.In a clarification video posted on her official Facebook page, Mamata Shankar expressed her dissatisfaction with the performance, stating that she had raised her objections on set as well. However, she claimed that part was edited out from the episode that aired.In the video, the veteran artiste said, “I don’t know how to prove this to all of you. But those who have faith in me will understand that I always speak what I truly believe. And yet, my comments were entirely excluded. Many have attacked me. Every single student from my school knows what we believe in, and what we don’t.”She also urged the public not to judge her values or principles based on the show. The incident has reignited the ongoing debate around cultural sensitivity and creative liberties on mainstream reality television.