West Bengal's BJP government has constituted a high-powered advisory committee to restructure the state's film and television industry, amid prolonged unrest marked by internal feuds, allegations of a pervasive 'ban culture', labour tensions and mounting demands for institutional reform. The panel, discussed at a high-level meeting held at Nabanna on June 8, has been tasked with overhauling the Information and Cultural Affairs Department and its allied bodies, with government documents warning that without urgent reforms, the industry could face severe financial strain threatening the livelihoods of thousands of technicians and workers.
Who's on the committee
The advisory panel draws together some of the most prominent names. Leading the industry representation are actors Prosenjit Chatterjee — who currently heads the Artists' Forum — and actor-MP Dev. They are joined by actors Jisshu U Sengupta and Tanmay Dey, directors Kaushik Ganguly and Srijit Mukherji, producers Mahendra Soni and Sani Ghosh Ray, senior production manager Jayanta Kundu and television director Amit Das.
On the other side, BJP legislators Roopa Ganguly, Papiya Adhikari, Rudranil Ghosh and Hiranmoy Chattopadhyay have been included. The bureaucratic contingent comprises Information and Cultural Affairs Secretary Soumitra Mohan, Director of Films Krittibas Nayak, Nandan CEO Sharmistha Bandyopadhyay and Additional Secretary to the Chief Minister's Office Santanu Basu.
Sweeping reforms on the agenda
The committee's mandate is wide-ranging. Nearly 40 committees and organisations under the Information and Cultural Affairs Department are currently under review, and the panel has been specifically asked to examine the scope for merging overlapping bodies and recommend appointments for key leadership positions. The government's concern is pressing — official minutes from the Nabanna meeting caution that the federations and guilds governing the industry are in urgent need of reform to prevent a financial collapse that could ripple across the entire production ecosystem.
As the state moves forward with its restructuring plans, the new advisory committee is expected to play a key role in shaping policy decisions that could redefine how Bengal's film and television industry is governed in the years ahead.
