West Bengal Film Industry to Adopt New Shooting and Wage Norms After Actor-MLA Meeting

On Monday, four BJP‑affiliated actor‑MLAs—Rudranil Ghosh, Rupa Ganguly, Papia Adhikary and Hiran Chatterjee—held a meeting at Nandan in Kolkata with representatives of film producers and technicians. The discussion focused on reforms aimed at improving working conditions in Bengal’s Tollywood sector, which has faced criticism for long shooting hours and uneven pay since the Mamata Banerjee administration.

The four legislators met separately with two groups: one of producers and one of technicians. Prior to the joint session, each group had a briefing with Saumitra Mohan, the state secretary of information and cultural affairs. According to a source present at the meeting, the proposals included limiting daily shooting schedules to 12 hours, adopting a uniform wage structure, and reducing what the participants described as a “trade‑union culture” that had previously dominated the industry.

The proposals were presented as a response to longstanding complaints from filmmakers and crew members. The actor‑MLAs said that the new norms would give producers the flexibility to hire crew appropriate to the scale of a shoot and would create a safer, more predictable working environment. Rudranil Ghosh, who represents Howrah’s Shibpur, emphasized that the government was committed to a “fear‑free” industry.

The meeting also touched on the legacy of the Federation of Cine Technicians and Workers of Eastern India (FCTWEI), which had been led by Swarup Biswas, brother of Trinamool leader Aroop Biswas. The federation had been criticized for functioning as a regulatory body rather than a union. In 2026, Papia Adhikary announced the formation of the Eastern India Motion Pictures and Cultural Confederation (EIMPCC) to replace FCTWEI, though the state BJP president Samik Bhattacharya has publicly distanced the party from the new confederation.

Firdausul Hasan, a film producer and former president of the Film Federation of India, and Satadeep Saha, an exhibitor‑producer, were among the attendees. They noted that the meeting produced several actionable proposals and that a follow‑up session would likely occur within the week to reach a consensus. The government is expected to issue a formal notification to implement the agreed norms.

The actor‑MLAs also discussed the creation of a corruption‑free guild. Hiran Chatterjee said that a working committee would be formed with representatives from both technicians and filmmakers. The committee’s purpose, as stated, would be to monitor compliance with the new shooting and wage guidelines.

Industry observers note that the reforms come amid a broader push by the West Bengal government to revitalize Tollywood after a period of political uncertainty. The state has previously announced initiatives to improve infrastructure and streamline licensing for film production.

The meeting concluded with a commitment from all parties to continue dialogue. The next steps involve a joint meeting of producers and technicians to finalize the proposals, followed by a government notification that would formalize the new shooting schedule limits, wage standards, and union‑related changes.

At present, the West Bengal film industry is awaiting the outcome of the upcoming consensus meeting. Once the government issues the notification, producers and technicians will be required to adhere to the new norms, which are expected to standardize working hours, wages, and union practices across Tollywood.

The reforms aim to create a more transparent and efficient production environment, potentially encouraging increased film output in the state.