Police detain filmmaker Kamaleshwar Mukhopadhyay amid protest, kicks up a social media storm | Bengali Movie News

In a shocking turn of events filmmaker Kamaleshwar Mukhopadhyay and several other CPI(M) workers were detained by Kolkata Police while they were staging a protest near the Rashbehari crossing. It all started after an alleged attack on a Left party bookstall. The critically acclaimed filmmaker and the others were first taken to Lalbazar, but later in the evening they were released. The incident kicked up a social media storm as the Tollywood film fraternity extended its support for Kamaleswar.

”Afraid of books???? Books??? Don’t have enough words of condemnation for the arrest of Dr Kamaleswar Mukherjee. With you, Kamalda, for whatever it is worth,” filmmaker Srijit Mukherji wrote on Twitter.

Afraid of books???? Books??? Don’t have enough words of condemnation for the arrest of Dr Kamaleswar Mukherjee. Wit… https://t.co/uShAIC1hvp

— Srijit Mukherji (@srijitspeaketh) 1664804415000

Actor Abir Chatterjee wrote, “We love you Kamal Da & we are proud of you. With you…”

We love you Kamal Da & we are proud of you.With you..

— Abir Chatterjee (@itsmeabir) 1664810151000

National Award-winning filmmaker Kaushik Ganguly also criticized the detention of Kamaleswar.

ডাক্তারবাবু, ক্ষতিটা কিন্তু তোমার হচ্ছে না।@AmiKamaleswar https://t.co/tq4JRX1wa0

— Kaushik Ganguly (@KGunedited) 1664805886000

”Has this government gone insane? The arrest of Kamaleswar Mukherjee is SHAMEFUL. For what? For a bookstall? For supporting a protest against the plunder of a ‘bookstall ‘? This is shameful. Strongly condemn this immensely meaningless and obnoxious act of flexing muscle power. With you Kamleshwar Mukherjee, we all need an answer for this !” actor Ridhhi Sen wrote on Facebook.

Rajya Sabha MP Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya later claimed that they had gathered at Rashbehari crossing to protest the attack on a bookstall and the alleged closing of it by TMC supporters.

He also Alleged that some people owing allegiance to the ruling Trinamool Congress reportedly attacked them again during the protest on Monday. Some of the protesters, including filmmaker Mukhopadhyay and CPI(M) Kolkata district committee president Kallol Majumdar, were then reportedly detained by the police.

Meanwhile, Kamaleswar Mukhopadhyay after his release claimed that the police detained them stating that the protest cannot be held at the busy crossing as it will stall the movement of Durga Puja crowd.

The Bengali filmmaker is known for making critically acclaimed films like ‘Meghe Dhaka Tara’, ‘Mukhomukhi’ to name a few. His last was a short film ‘The Hunger Artist’ which received appreciation from all corners. He also made a web series ‘Rokto Polash’ which is a gripping political thriller. He is an acclaimed actor as well playing a wide range of characters in many socially relevant films over the years.