Bengali films deserve greater visibility in their home market, with better coordination among producers, distributors and exhibitors needed to address concerns over screen availability during the crowded Durga Puja release window, PVR INOX executive director Sanjeev Kumar Bijli has said.
The issue of Bengali films getting fewer shows when pitted against big-budget Hindi and pan-Indian releases has been a recurring concern within the industry, particularly during the festive season, when several films compete for limited screens and audience attention.
Screen allocation was guided by commercial considerations, including advance bookings, audience demand, the scale of a release and the performance of films already running, Bijli told The Telegraph Online, but stressed that Bengali cinema remained central to Bengal's cultural identity.
“Bengali cinema deserves strong visibility in its home market. It is not a niche category in Bengal, it is central to the region’s cultural identity and festive spirit,” he said.
The way forward, he said, lay in closer coordination on release dates, promotional plans and show requirements, along with staggered releases wherever feasible.
Durga Puja is a key release window for Bengali cinema, with this year's slate spanning action, detective adventure, romance and historical-political drama. The line-up includes The Eken: Kerala-e Kurukshetra and Emperor vs Sarat Chandra, distributed by PVR INOX Pictures, alongside Bohurupi: The Golden Daku and DeSu7.
While a diverse slate can draw different audience groups to theatres, simultaneous releases inevitably compete for screens and show timings, Bijli said.
“The answer is not to narrow the slate, but to manage it intelligently, through flexible screen allocation, responsive show scheduling and coordination among producers, distributors and exhibitors,” he said.
PVR INOX executive director Sanjeev Kumar Bijli, attribution: Sourced by correspondent
“Younger audiences, in particular, respond to Bengali films that combine contemporary themes and strong visuals with emotional engagement,” Bijli said, adding that the challenge was to retain the cultural familiarity of Bengali storytelling while presenting it with contemporary energy and strong production values.
Bijli said the festive period offered an opportunity to make cinema an integral part of Puja celebrations.