Rudranil Ghosh addresses technicians after Tollygunge unrest

On Thursday, Tollygunge witnessed unrest following MLA Papiya Adhikari’s announcement on Wednesday regarding a restructuring of the Bengali film industry. The incident occurred at the Technicians’ Studio during a gathering of technicians, with reports of stone-pelting, egg and tomato throwing, and scuffles.

According to technicians, they had assembled to place their demands and discuss a smoother workflow. They said the situation deteriorated when unidentified individuals entered the premises and disrupted the gathering. The unrest escalated, prompting police to intervene and use lathi-charge to control the situation.

After the violence, actor-politician Rudranil Ghosh called for an emergency meeting with a delegation of technicians at Nandan in the afternoon. The meeting aimed to restore the process and address the technicians’ concerns following the morning’s events.

Speaking to us after the meeting, Rudranil said, “The technicians had gathered peacefully to discuss their requests. An unidentified mob interrupted it and started pelting stones, eggs and tomatoes.” He added that the meeting at Nandan was held to ensure communication continued in a constructive manner.

During the meeting, the technicians submitted a written memorandum outlining their issues. Rudranil said the letter reflected their desire to continue working under clear guidelines and professional harmony, and that they sought discussion on their workflow rather than raising complaints. The memorandum will be forwarded to CM Suvendu Adhikari. He added that the technicians did not accuse any individual or group, but called for healthy working relationships among directors, artistes, producers and technicians. He said that while differing views may exist, decisions on the industry’s future would ultimately be taken by the Chief Minister, with an emphasis on cooperation over exclusion.

Highlighting a broader message, he said, “Everyone wants the industry to function smoothly and regain its old honour. Differences of opinion will exist, but the focus should be on unity and work.” He said he was unaware of any formal ban or cancellation of guilds, adding that all decisions would be taken and communicated by the CM.

The sequence of events began a day earlier. On June 3, Papiya Adhikari announced the formation of the Eastern India Motion Pictures & Cultural Confederation (EIMPCC) and proposed dissolving Tolipara’s long-standing federation, along with the reorganisation of its 26 guilds into four divisions.

Following the announcement, a meeting was held at the Technicians’ Studio on Thursday morning to discuss the changes. The gathering soon turned into a confrontation, with clashes between two groups.

Rudranil said, “Opinions and feelings may get involved, but at the end of the day every decision will be taken by the Chief Minister, who will make a decision beneficial for the technicians as well as the entire industry.”