Kolkata Documentary 'Redlight to Limelight' Wins Prestigious Grand Prix at International FIPADOC Festival
In a significant achievement for Indian cinema, Kolkata-based filmmaker Bipuljit Basu's documentary 'Redlight to Limelight' has been honored with the Grand Prix Award at the prestigious FIPADOC – Festival International du Documentaire in France. This international recognition comes with mixed emotions for Basu, who values the award as deeply as he feels disappointment over the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) norms that required cuts to his film.
CBFC Cuts Remove Animal Scenes, Distressing Filmmaker
While Basu complied with the CBFC advisory to avoid friction, he remains distressed that Indian audiences will see an edited version of his documentary. The cuts specifically removed scenes featuring a tortoise, a rat, and street catfights in Kalighat – elements Basu considers integral to portraying the brothel's environment.
"I agreed to the cuts because I didn't want to get into any friction," Basu said. "I'm sad I had to sacrifice the layers in my films because of the norms involving animals. All these animals were fellow inhabitants of the brothel."
Documentary Editor Lamns Loss of Emotional Connection
Anirban Maity, the documentary's editor, expressed concern that even OTT platforms will screen the cut version. He highlighted the practical challenges of obtaining certificates for animals featured in real-location documentaries.
"For a non-fiction film on real locations, how do I get certificates for cats and rodents featured in the scenes?" Maity questioned. "I had tried to show the caring nature of the girls in the brothel through those scenes between them and the tortoise. The deletion of the scene means giving up what could establish the audience's emotional connection with the protagonists."
Victory Dedicated to Kalighat Brothel Mothers and Children
The FIPADOC festival, founded by Michel Mitrani and first held in Cannes in October 1987, represents one of the documentary world's most respected platforms. Basu's co-producer Uldis Cekulis was present in France to receive the award on behalf of the team.
"This victory belongs to everyone associated with the film, including my producer Nilotpal Majumdar, executive producer Somnath Ghosh, Sayanti Bhattacharya and co-producers John Webster and Uldis Cekulis," Basu stated. "I want to dedicate this win to the mothers of the Kalighat brothel and their children."
The documentary's international success highlights the global recognition of Indian documentary filmmaking while simultaneously underscoring the ongoing challenges filmmakers face with domestic certification processes. The win at FIPADOC places Basu's work among distinguished international documentaries, even as the edited version prepares for Indian release.
