The West Bengal government has made it mandatory for all cinema halls and multiplexes in the state to screen at least one Bengali-language film every day during “prime time,” a move that officials say aims to promote regional culture but which critics view as politically charged.
The directive, issued Wednesday by the state’s Information and Cultural Affairs Department, applies to every screen across the state and takes effect immediately. Prime time has been defined as the period between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m., during which cinemas must include a Bengali film in their daily programming, regardless of other releases.
“This order is being implemented under the West Bengal Cinemas (Regulation) Act of 1954,” the government said in its notification, adding that amendments to the law will follow. “The directive will remain in force until further notice.”
While the state government framed the order as a cultural preservation measure, the announcement comes against a backdrop of growing political confrontation over Bengali identity and language rights in India’s eastern state. Over the past months, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her Trinamool Congress (TMC) party have accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) – the state’s main opposition – of undermining Bengali culture. The TMC has launched what it calls a “language movement,” holding rallies every Saturday and Sunday to protest alleged discrimination against Bengali-speaking communities in other parts of India.
“Bengalis have faced atrocities despite their talent,” Banerjee told a public meeting last week. “We will not tolerate this. From scholars to sportspersons, everyone must resist in their own way and show that Bengal never bows down.”
Banerjee has also sharpened her rhetoric against the BJP, accusing it of “collaborating with the British” during India’s freedom struggle – a charge BJP leaders have dismissed as political theatre. The issue has gained traction as incidents of hostility toward Bengali speakers in at least five to seven Indian states have sparked protests in Kolkata and beyond. TMC leaders have linked the cinema directive directly to this broader campaign, framing it as part of a defence of linguistic and cultural rights.
This is not the first time Banerjee’s administration has taken steps to enforce the visibility of the Bengali language. Earlier this year, Kolkata’s municipal authorities moved to make Bengali signage mandatory on shops and commercial establishments.
While cultural activists have welcomed the cinema order, saying it could boost the struggling Bengali film industry, cinema owners have expressed concerns about commercial viability, especially in multiplexes dominated by Hindi and English blockbusters. With the 2026 state elections on the horizon, analysts say the directive reflects Banerjee’s strategy to mobilise Bengali identity as a political tool against the BJP – a contest that is expected to intensify in the coming months.
