Joy Bangla: West Bengal Makes Bengali Films Mandatory in Prime Time Shows Across All Theatres

In a landmark move, the West Bengal government has mandated that all cinema halls and multiplexes must screen at least one Bengali film daily during prime time, aiming to revive the state’s film industry.

Actress Rituparna Sengupta, Ministers Arup Biswas and Indranil Sen annauncese the government decission at press conference in Kolkata on Wednesday.

Kolkata : The West Bengal government has officially mandated that all cinema halls and multiplexes across the state must screen at least one Bengali film during prime time every day, throughout the year. The directive, issued this week, follows last Thursday’s meeting at Nandan between state minister Arup Biswas and leading producers, directors, and film exhibitors from the Bengali film industry.

According to the notification, prime time has been defined as the slot between 3 PM and 9 PM. Within this window, every screen in the state must dedicate one show to a Bengali film, regardless of other programming. 

The decision is aimed at boosting the revenue of the Bengali film industry, which has long struggled against the dominance of Bollywood and the South Indian film industries.

Industry insiders say the move is a major morale boost for Tollywood. Many see it as a decisive step by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to protect and promote Bengali cinema at a time when regional identity and cultural pride are receiving renewed focus in West Bengal. The Bengali film industry has often found itself squeezed out of prime time slots in favor of big-budget Hindi or South Indian productions. 

Struggling single-screen theatres, in particular, have historically bowed to the terms of Mumbai-based production houses for financial survival, further marginalizing Bengali films.

Speaking on the decision, Trinamool Congress state general secretary and newly turned actor Kunal Ghosh said, “For 365 days a year, between 3 PM and 9 PM — the newly designated prime time — each screen must show at least one Bengali film. This is a decision by Hon’ble Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s government to promote and popularize Bengali cinema. Joy Bangla.”

When asked whether Bengali films could commercially compete with high-budget Bollywood or South Indian releases, Ghosh responded, “Do all Bollywood films become hits? Many poor-quality ones get released too. They still get screen space. Meanwhile, a lot of excellent Bengali films haven’t been getting prime time slots or adequate screens. Moreover, in Bollywood, the star culture is fading, and content is becoming the priority. That’s where good Bengali cinema can shine.”

The state’s film fraternity hopes that this landmark policy will not only secure screen space for regional films but also encourage higher-quality productions by guaranteeing them visibility in the most commercially viable time slots.