4 days after delayed release, independent Bengali film records houseful audiences

Kolkata, Nov 25 (PTI) Four days after its delayed release, independent Bengali film 'The Academy of Fine Arts' recorded back-to-back houseful audiences in over 90 shows, with audiences liking the quirky content of the thriller made by an SRFTI alumnus and his film school friends.

The film was initially scheduled to be released on November 14, but faced delays due to objections raised by the Federation of Cine Technicians and Workers of Eastern India (FCTWEI)..

The federation raised concerns over the involvement of a former producer who allegedly owed dues to technicians from an earlier project and the absence of federation-affiliated technicians in both indoor and outdoor shoots, industry sources said.

A resolution was reached after 50 per cent of the dues were cleared by the former producer and the remaining amount was settled by the current distributor, paving the way for the release, they said.

On the huge response, director Jayabrata Das said, "People are clapping, cheering every scene. It reaffirms the belief that if there is fresh content relatable to the audience and narrated in their understandable language of cinema, a film will strike the right chord." "We could not pay any extra amount to the hall owners for raising the number of shows. But still they are increasing the number of shows out of their interest for good cinema as people are coming in droves across all ages. We are grateful," he said.

Distributor Satadeep Saha, who stepped in during the release impasse, said the film’s exhibition had expanded rapidly.

"From 48 shows in 46 theatres, the number of shows has doubled. The number of theatres is also increasing by this week," said Saha, who owns several multiplexes and single screens.

"While the film did Rs 10 lakh business in four days, I expect a huge response by this weekend. Let's see where the total box office return reaches in the next 15 days. 'The Academy of Arts' is set to create history," Saha said.

The movie features Bengali actors Rudranil Ghosh, Payel Sarkar, Saurav Das, and Rahul Banerjee. The film's completion took four years due to financial constraints. PTI SUS MNB