Bengali Film, is it coming out of the Closet ? Bengali Film.

Is it coming out now from the art film closet? Yes. And so is Bengali film unwinding itself from South Indian masala film cloning. For the first time, since last two decades, Bengali film industry is getting cast in a new mould creating movies to entertain the urban bhadralok and at the same time rural masses. A new set of films has emerged with innovative stories, plot structure and treatment to entertain the urban audience with arty and sophisticated treatment. Corresponding to this, another new class of films has unfolded for the rural and semi-urban audience with Bolliwood mantra of pure entertainment. This year, "Autograph" a film made by a young Filmmaker achieved box office success in metros and in semi-metros proving the point that bhadraloks are still ready to embrace a wellmade film with an urban theme. At the same time, "Le Chhakka", a fantasy film with high octane entertainment clocked huge box office success with record breaking collection. Some industry watchers feel that Bengali film industry has now crossed the Rubicon. It will only climb upscale. From forty films, eight years back, this year the number will cross hundred and twenty. Budget-wise, equally, the trend is upward. From an average budget of Rs. 60 lacs, five years back, the current figure is nearly double. Look-wise also, Bengali films appear much more glamorous, glossy, tech-savvy with out-door shooting in places like Bangkok, Singapore, and even U.S. With digital Dolby sound, Bengali film's sound design has arrived. Another element that stimulated the present Bengali film landscape is the arrival of a band of young film-makers like Raj Chakraborty, Atanu Ghosh, Kaushik Ganguly having extensive "hands on" experience in television media. Inventive, contemporary and pragmatic, -- these young craftsmen know what 'commercial' cinema should look and feel like and therefore have delivered box office sales to their producers.

Be that as it may, the 'outside in' view of the Bengali film industry though looks optimistic and rosy - the fact is - that industry is bedeviled with a host of problems and contradictions. Take the case of the studio facility. The infrastructure -- less said is better. There is hardly any air-conditioned floor. Untidy make-up rooms, poor archaic lighting set up, no medical facilities --- the actors and technicians slog day in and day out, and at the end of the day, deliver 'out put' which could perhaps been much better and cash efficient. Roopkala Kendra, the colour laboratory and the recording studio set up by the Government of West Bengal is in the state of decay and far behind in technology and systems compared to their counterpart in Bombay and Tamilnadu. Because of this, most of the filmmakers have to travel to Bombay and Madras for post production and processing leading to escalation in cost and delayed delivery. The other major negative is the large scale prevalence of piracy. Illegal video halls in villages and towns exhibit films without paying royalty or fees - pirated CD/ DVD flood the market and traded openly. No taxes paid, no royalty paid, no enforcement applied the stakeholders - the producer, the state - are loosing heavily - no one to take the shot in spite of the law being in place. Industry watchers and veterans of the industry feel that the reason for this pathetic state of affairs is because -- the Government for so many years - was not able to make up its mind as to how they should 'look' at film industry. Often regarded something associated with 'bourgeoisie' or a luxury item'- the industry never received proper attention and focus -- though the industry is a substantive generator of employment and taxes. Without any central policy or focus, the industry has been walking alone occasionally- re-energizing itself by sheer passion, sentiment and courage displayed by a small coterie of producers, directors, technicians and distributors. But the fact, however, remains that this small doses of fillip and adventure can hardly create and sustain an industry over a longer period.

If the industry has to grow, escalate into the world cinema, production-wise, market-wise, the roadmap has to be designed and an action plan need to be worked out. Existing West Bengal Film Development Corporation could be revitalized under a strong leadership to contemporize the Bengali film industry by way of setting up modern studios, with state of the art technology and processes, revival of shut down theatres, introducing a set of incentives and tax breaks for modernizing theatres in metros and suburban towns and support towards construction of multiplexes. The Corporation could devise appropriate private-public partnership business models to mobilize resources and to hasten the process of re-inventing the Bengali film industry back to its glorious status. And further, to compete at the global and national market what is required is a dramatic change in perception and attitude. You have to shun the idea that cinema is a 'luxury' or 'bourgeoisie' product-- in spite look at it as an 'industry' which can propel employment and fill the tax basket. A simple ordinance for compulsory screening of Bengali Film in prime slots in multiplex theatres at least thirty percent of viewing time can change the picture radically. If Maharastra could do it, what stops West Bengal? At the same seam, if all the Rabindra Sadans in the district towns of West Bengal could be utilized to construct "digital cinema chain", a lot more theatre seats can be added. Last but not the least, the market for bengali cinema is expanding rapidly - the global bengali diaspora co-creating a new market for release -- DVDs and CDs generating additional sales. West Bengal and Bangladesh together is a huge market why not then come to an understanding with Bangladesh for a joint production and distribution. Some of these ideas might take some time to filter and get into the policy desk yet - least that can be done in week's time is to host an attractive and business like website for the Bengal Film Industry. Is there any taker?