Kolkata TV serial director gets support of others after technicians stay away from his set

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Kolkata, Feb 4 (PTI) Several directors on Tuesday assembled at a Kolkata studio to express solidarity with an industry colleague, the work at whose set has been affected since February 3 as all technicians associated with the project are staying away.

Though the views of the technicians for this alleged boycott were not available, the director concerned, Srijit Roy, claimed that it could probably be certain comments attributed to him against the technicians’ federation chief Swarup Biswas.

Roy, however, claimed he did not make any unsavoury remark against Biswas, who is the brother of senior West Bengal minister and Trinamool Congress leader Arup Biswas.

On Tuesday, directors Parambrata Chatterjee, Sudeshna Roy, Raj Chakraborty and actor Anirban Chakraborty went to the studio to express their solidarity with Srijit Roy.

The work to build the set for Roy's upcoming serial has stopped as no technicians turned up during the day.

Srijit Roy voiced helplessness over the development said on Facebook Live on Monday.

He sought an end to the impasse alleging that a section of people were instigating the technicians associated with his project to stop working with him.

"Things have been running smoothly since January 27 as technician members of the Art Setting Guild had been working on the floors and a beautiful set was coming up. However within days, I sensed a change in their attitude and since February 3, no technician has come to my set. I don't know how the shooting will start," Srijit Roy said.

Art Setting Guild is one of the wings of the Federation of Cine Technicians and Workers of Eastern India, of which Swarup Biswas is the president.

Srijit Roy said he got to know from his own network in the industry that certain comments were attributed to him against Swarup Biswas.

"I want to set the record straight that I have excellent relations with the technicians and have no bad blood with Swarup Biswas. However, some people at the top in the federation want to disrupt my serial's work. I am ready for talks with all concerned. I wish Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee intervene into the issue," he said.

Banerjee, also the Trinamool Congress supremo, had in the past intervened in the problems faced by the entertainment industry several times.

Srijit Roy is a member of the Directors Association of Eastern India, a platform of directors who had a conflict with the technicians' body over recruitment of technicians in shoots of films, serials and web series last month.

Following a cease work by directors for two days in July, the chief minister intervened and asked every stakeholder not to resort to any such form of protest in future.

Chatterjee and Chakraborty, members of DOAI, called for an end to the impasse pointing out that it would affect all those involved in show business including technicians.

Chatterjee said, "If there is any trust deficit, we call for dialogues as we are all working for the betterment of the entertainment industry." Sudeshna Roy said that on earlier occasions, director Kaushik Ganguly had to shelve shooting for his film in north Bengal which was slated to begin from January 29.

Director Joydip Roy too met a similar fate, she said. In July last year, director Rahul Mukherjee also could not start shooting for his film due to differences with the technicians’ guild.

"This is not a welcome sign. We demand they be allowed to commence their shoots," Sudeshna Roy said.

Director-producer of TV serials, Leena Gangopadhyay, told PTI there is no news about the possibility of disruption in shootings of a large number of TV soaps from February 4.

However, "reports of stoppage of work in shoots and sets are causes for concern. We wish all differences are resolved and everyone can work for the overall interest of the industry. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also wishes the same. If works are not completed on schedule by the director, he will face problems with the channels. We have to protect the state's image as an entertainment destination," she said.

Federation President Swarup Biswas could not be contacted. PTI SUS NN