Kolkata Production House Under Investigation Following Actor's Sexual Exploitation Allegations
Another prominent production house in Kolkata, Tent Cinema, has come under intense scrutiny after an actor lodged a formal complaint with the National Commission for Women on Thursday. The complaint alleges severe sexual exploitation by the company's head, producer-director Susanta Das.
Details of the Allegations and Production House Background
Tent Cinema is known for creating popular Bengali and Hindi television serials, including titles such as ‘Titli', ‘Krishnakoli', ‘Ke Apon Ke Por', ‘Joyee', ‘Pocket Mein Aasmaan', ‘Rishton Ka Manjha', ‘Krishna Mohini', and ‘Faltu'. Despite its success in the entertainment industry, the company now faces serious allegations that have sparked a national-level inquiry.
When initially contacted by TOI, Susanta Das responded to a message, stating he would inform about "his steps" regarding the matter. However, subsequent attempts by TOI to reach Das through calls and messages went unanswered, leaving the allegations unaddressed by the accused.
Actor's Harrowing Account of Sexual and Mental Harassment
The actor, who has a four-month-old daughter, revealed that she was forced to quit acting due to persistent sexual and mental harassment. She explained her decision to approach the National Commission for Women, stating, "My husband fully supports my decision to lodge a complaint. I do not see any point in complaining to the state commission for women, which is headed by Leena Gangopadhyay. That's why I approached the national commission."
Originally from a business family in Midnapore, the young woman moved to Kolkata for her studies and began acting in TV serials for various production houses. She described a traumatic incident that occurred while she was staying alone in a flat in Santoshpur during her role in the serial ‘Deep Jwele Jai'. "One day, after a scene went well, I returned home happy and informed my parents. Later, he visited my flat unannounced, became sexually intimate, and threatened to remove my scene if I refused. He warned that my scene would be chopped off on the edit table. That night, he forced himself on me. This sexual harassment continued for four months," she recounted to TOI.
Reasons for Silence and Impact on Career
When asked why she did not quit immediately or report the harassment to the Artists' Forum, she cited fear and lack of support. "I was too new and didn't have the agency to protest. He threatened that if I made the harassment public, he would convince my parents to take me back to Midnapore. Later, when I did speak out about my sexual harassment, I didn't receive much support from anywhere. I had to keep silent," she explained.
The actor noted that recent protests over artists' safety, following Rahul Banerjee's death, revived her painful memories. "He would call my parents and threaten them. As a small-town girl, I was told not to discuss it. I reluctantly returned to shoot. When I resisted, I faced mistreatment at work, including long waits till late at night before shoots. I quit during the lockdown and was forced to change professions," she added, highlighting the severe professional and personal consequences she endured.
This case underscores ongoing concerns about safety and exploitation in the entertainment industry, particularly for emerging artists. The investigation by the National Commission for Women is expected to bring further clarity and accountability in this matter.
