The All India Trinamool Congress (AITC or TMC) continues to feel the ripples of its humiliating defeat in the recently concluded West Bengal Assembly Election at the hands of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). TMC is on the verge of a split, as 58 out of its 80 MLAs have already backed expelled lawmaker Ritabrata Banerjee as the leader of the opposition. A strong revolt is also brewing against the authority of former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew and Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee.

Furthermore, the party has been forced to dissolve all its committees and frontal organisations in the state as the problems continue to intensify without any sign of relief. Meanwhile, the party’s once-loyal support group, which stood by its side since the rise to power, appears to have deserted it at the most pivotal moment.

The Bengali film industry, commonly referred to as Tollywood, was pampered by the TMC and shared an exceptionally close relationship with the ruling dispensation. For over a decade, a generation of these prominent public personalities—including top-tier actors, directors, and producers—gladly transitioned into political roles, serving as party leaders, candidates, spokespersons, and high-profile campaigners. They proudly highlighted this bond and were frequently captured alongside the top leadership, including Mamata Banerjee herself. However, the tide has dramatically shifted after the electoral loss, as those who used to serve as official or unofficial faces of TMC and endorsed it have chosen to jump out of the sinking ship.

A Decade of Institutional Patronage and Shared Clout

TMC and Tollywood existed in a mutually beneficial relationship for more than a decade. The regional film fraternity did not merely extend indirect or passive support; instead, many of its key figures formally joined hands with the party as its key campaigners, candidates, and star symbols. Prominent names like Deepak Adhikari alias Dev, Saayoni Ghosh, Sayantika Banerjee, Kanchan Mullick, Soham Chakraborty, June Malia, Aditi Munshi, and Raj Chakraborty used this political route to secure seats in both the state assembly and the national parliament.

Their fame and public reach became inextricably linked to Mamata Banerjee’s political efforts. Hence, with the BJP holding power, this ecosystem is evidently unsettled as its political clout has been diminished. On the other hand, artists who refused to conform and preferred to work independently were regularly marginalised. Independent creators frequently alleged that Tollywood resembled an extension of the state’s political patronage structure rather than a free, competitive industry. For years, these deep structural concerns were voiced quietly because of the fear of political retaliation from the TMC.

This deep nexus between Tollywood and the ruling party was also enthusiastically promoted by media outlets opposed to the BJP. In a 2021 article published during the high-stakes state elections, The Scroll reported on the trend, detailing how Mamata Banerjee distributed election tickets to various members of Tollywood prior to the assembly poll. The report highlighted that Bengali film director Raj Chakraborty and several other industry insiders were in high spirits immediately following her official press conference.

“The film personalities were in a celebratory mood. All of them had joined TMC a week ago. All of them appeared in the candidate list,” it read.

The political association was so profound and enduring that every time she put together a list of candidates, speculation began across Bengal about which Tollywood celebrity would receive a nomination. In that specific election cycle, she nominated 6 Tollywood movie and television stars.

“In the past, actors like Moon Moon Sen, Tapas Pal, Satabdi Roy, Sandhya Roy, Dev, Mimi Chakraborty, Nusrat Jahan, Deboshree Roy, Chiranjeet Chakraborty have contested on a TMC ticket. They were either elected to the Parliament or the state assembly,” the piece informed.

Throughout the years, Mamata Banerjee meticulously chose actors and actresses from both the older and younger generations to win crucial, highly contested constituencies in both the Lok Sabha and assembly elections. These ties are further emphasised by the fact that she had to personally intervene to resolve a deadlock between directors and technicians in relation to the boycott of director Rahool Mukherjee’s shoots in 2024, an issue settled after a high-level meeting with three prominent Tollywood names: Prosenjit Chatterjee, Dev, and Goutam Ghose.

Moreover, the majority of state-sponsored cultural programs were completely dominated by Bengali cinema and television performers. She regularly invited them to her party meetings and rallies, taking full advantage of their celebrity status for her political purposes. These actors enjoyed front-row seats on stage at the annual Martyrs’ Day rally arranged by the TMC in Kolkata on 21st July, turning the political gathering into a star-studded occasion.

Mamata Banerjee also used prestigious awards as a means to reward those who aligned with her. Her government bestowed the “Mahanayak Samman” and other accolades to Bengali film and television professionals “for outstanding contributions in the world of cinema” since 2012. It was given to Rachana Banerjee, TMC’s Lok Sabha MP from Hooghly, and singer Nachiketa Chakraborty in 2024. Interestingly, Mamata Banerjee even made a special appearance in the popular Bengali TV series Didi No 1 ahead of the last Lok Sabha election, which was hosted by Rachana.

Likewise, industry veteran Prosenjit Chatterjee was conferred with a special award in recognition of his contributions to the Bengali film industry over the past forty years, and similar state honours were handed over to actors Rukmini Moitra, Ambarish Bhattacharya, and Subhasis Mukherjee. Year after year, rewards were systematically given to people who showed allegiance to the party.

The Breaking Point and Post-Election Realignments

The mutual predation had an expiry date of 4th May as the fissures erupted, disclosing the real nature of the relationship. TMC loyalists from Tollywood, who not only remained silent but also reveled in the political violence directed at the opposition, particularly the saffron party, suddenly distanced themselves and sought to appear neutral. They adopted a defensive stance, started to play the victim, and transformed into champions of freedom and impartiality.

Following the assembly election on 2nd May 2021, TMC achieved victory and unleashed unprecedented violence against BJP workers, including women, compelling them to abandon their homes and relocate to Assam for the sake of their safety and dignity. However, actors Parambrata Chatterjee and Swastika Mukherjee took pleasure in the bloodshed. Chatterjee remarked, "Let today be designated as world ‘rogorani’ thrashing day," to which a gleeful Mukherjee replied, "Let it take happen."

The public tweets generated massive criticism across social media, and a First Information Report (FIR) was formally registered against the two at the Gariahat Police Station in Kolkata, based on a legal complaint filed by advocate Joydeep Sen after the BJP formed the government in the state. The legal complaint asserted that the tweet:

“appears to abate, encourage, incite and instigate large scale violence at such time when violence against BJP workers had already started to circulate. In fact, around an hour after this tweet, one Abhijit Sarkar of Beleghata was brutally murdered by TMC cadres, in which case the culprits have already been sentenced.”

Afterwards, Chatterjee, a loud BJP detractor, argued that he needed to make compromises for his newborn son, which drew further condemnation from the public.

“There was joy in working in this industry, but over the years, many of us were forced to compromise. I did it as well, keeping the future of my newborn child in mind. No one should have to face this,” he insisted.

However, critics quickly outlined that the child was born in January 2025, whereas the actor-director’s controversial social media conduct happened well prior to that date.

“The industry should be a place where people can work freely without fear or unnecessary restrictions,” Chatterjee commented. “Many people might not have spoken openly earlier, but conversations around these issues are now becoming more public,” he added about the ongoing issues inside the industry.

Similarly, Saayoni Ghosh, the TMC Lok Sabha MP for Jadavpur, who faced heavy criticism for posting a derogatory anti-Hindu post on social media in 2015, argued that she was not the creator of the content.

“It was not done by me, and I have always maintained that. I publicly apologised in 2021. No one should hurt anyone’s religious sentiments. I am myself a Hindu. It is a 2015 post. I was 22 years old then, and Twitter was new for me,” she stated. “I did not post it, and I did not even create the cartoon. So, if anyone needs to be investigated, it should be the person who made the cartoon. When this issue was brought to my attention in 2021, seven years later, I immediately ensured that the post was removed. I also apologised publicly,” she emphasised.

The post, which was uploaded around the auspicious occasion of Maha Shivratri, featured a cartoon showing a female character placing a condom over a Shivling. Ghosh received extensive condemnation for it, but she offered the bizarre explanation and claimed innocence in the lead-up to the 2021 state assembly election.

Ghosh also gained notoriety for her pandering to the Muslim community before the recent assembly poll when she sang, "Ekbar chede de nouka majhi jabo Medina (Rower, let the boat move. I will go to Medina). Amar hriday majhe Kaaba, nayane Medina (Kaaba is in my heart, Medina is in my eyes)," during a public event. However, things are rapidly changing following TMC’s ouster from power.

Likewise, others including TMC’s Ghatal Lok Sabha MP Dev used carefully calibrated words after the election results were declared. He welcomed the fresh BJP government while also advocating for artistic freedom and advising against cultural retaliation and industry "bans," reflecting a clear survival strategy rather than a genuine political message.

“I would earnestly request the new government to uphold the spirit of unity and artistic freedom by ensuring that the culture of bans and divisions within the Bengali film industry becomes a thing of the past,” he urged.

Amidst the widespread electoral losses for the party's star candidates, actress Nayana Bandyopadhyay emerged as the only TMC person in Tollywood who managed to succeed in the assembly election. Other glam candidates, including Bratya Basu, Raj Chakraborty, Indranil Sen, Soham Chakraborty, Arpita Ghosh, Sayantika Banerjee, Birbaha Hansda, Aditi Munshi, Lovely Maitra, and Shrreya Pande, all failed to secure their seats.

The Great Churn Within Tollywood

Historically, Tollywood consistently demonstrated its aversion to the saffron party. A political platform called “No Vote to BJP” was launched against the party before the 2021 assembly election. A collection of independent artists also released a viral music video as part of the campaign drive. Notable Tollywood personalities including Parambrata Chatterjee, Anirban Bhattacharya, Anupam Roy, and Riddhi Sen were active parts of the drive.

During that period, Chatterjee similarly declared:

“The 2026 election is no ordinary election. This is a fight for Bengali self-respect. Every Bengali should be part of this fight.”

However, he conveniently revisited his stand following the final poll results. He indicated to reporters that he would be happy if the new government worked to advance the state’s businesses and industries, particularly Tollywood. He hoped that the government could accomplish all of these goals while taking into account disagreements in political ideologies.

This sudden pivot drew strong criticism from observers.

"This actor has been one of the shrillest voices against the BJP. So much so that he didn’t open his mouth during the post-poll violence of 2021 when BJP workers were being raped and killed. He is now simply trying to curry favour with the new government," senior lawyer of Calcutta High Court, Joydeep Sen Chattopadhay pointed out in a conversation with ThePrint.

The majority of Bengali movie stars who once supported Mamata Banerjee are now publicly distancing themselves from her party. Interestingly, Tollywood unions under TMC’s tight control are rapidly disintegrating, creating fresh dynamics in scripting and production. Concurrently, novel scripts with major “Hindu themes” are being fervently explored by production houses.

Additionally, Aroop and Swarup Biswas have come under heavy fire over their suffocating grip on the industry, embodying a culture of political involvement, restrictions, and directives. In a significant political upset, actor Papia Adhikary defeated former minister and Tollygunje candidate Aroop who, along with his brother Swarup, completely monopolised Tollywood. Under their regime, producers were under constant pressure over hiring, exhibition, and theatrical release, as dissenters ran the real possibility of being entirely expelled from the industry.

The Federation of Cine Technicians & Workers of Eastern India (FCTWEI), led by Swarup Biswas, routinely slapped unwritten directives on film sets. A set number of employees were expected to be recruited by producers regardless of budget, and prime theatre slots were to be assigned to projects actively supported by political figures. Celebrated actors like Anirban Bhattacharya and directors like Subrata Sen and Indranil Roychowdhury were effectively "banned" after legally challenging this rigid system.

The Times of India reported on the shifting institutional stance, capturing statements from prominent industry stakeholders who feel vindicated by the political shift.

“We fought this regime since 2016, when no one was willing to speak, Eskay Movies did. Shoots were stalled even in London, bans were imposed, and letters to the then chief minister went unanswered. What happened in Tollywood wasn’t union activism. It was a political stranglehold dressed up as worker protection. Tollygunge has voted for change. Now let Tollywood breathe,” conveyed producer Himanshu Dhanuka. “We have to end the tyranny of the Biswas brothers and their yes-men. People were scared to invest in Bengal because of their arm-twisting. BJP’s cultural wing will ensure that Tollywood’s golden age is revived,” director-producer Pijush Saha submitted.

The extent of the administrative overreach was further illuminated by Satadeep Saha, a prominent distributor and exhibitor, who stated that he received an official notice from the government enquiring as to why he was not showing Korpur, which starred former TMC minister Bratya Basu and Kunal Ghosh, instead of the commercial film Dhurandhar: The Revenge.

In addition to abolishing the long-standing ban culture, industry professionals are now demanding that Nandan (the government-sponsored film and cultural centre) be thoroughly reformed. There is a collective call to dismantle the larger power structure that, according to many insiders, converted Tollywood into a place of fear rather than artistic freedom.

Conclusion

The assembly election results have not only revealed the problematic actions of pro-TMC Tollywood figures against those who remained neutral or were not part of their camp, but have also highlighted the opportunistic nature of the umbilical cord that bound them to the party—an alliance easily severed by the BJP’s triumph in Bengal. The conditions have evolved, bringing about a stark modification in fidelity as the TMC and its top brass, including Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek, have been rapidly deserted by the celebrities who were nurtured and coddled by the state for years for purely political objectives.