August 19, 2025

Hold tight, movie lovers! This Pujo, Bengal’s big screens are ready for a spectacular showdown. Four Bengali films—Raghu Dakat, Raktabeej 2, Devi Chowdhurani, and Joto Kando Kolkatatei—are all hitting theatres at once! To spice things up, a new government rule says that at least 50% of prime time (3pm to 9pm) slots must showcase Bengali films. Well, that has created quite a puzzle for theatre owners.

Pranab Roy from Menoka Cinemas shares, “There will be tough competition between Raghu Dakat, a star-driven film, and Raktabeej 2. The latter looks equally promising.” Meanwhile, Satadeep Saha of SSR Cinemas promises, “Multiple releases always create issues, but we will manage with prior planning.” Finding perfect slots is a challenge, especially since Bollywood usually releases only two big films at once.

But this screen squeeze might just turn out to be a blessing! The four films cover a wide range of genres—from gripping period dramas like Devi Chowdhurani to thrilling action-packed tales in Raghu Dakat and Raktabeej 2. Satadeep says, “With audiences craving local stories, this Pujo could truly be a box-office festival.” Excitingly, the combined budgets cross `20-25 crore, meaning big expectations for big returns!

Content is king, says Amitava Guha Thakurta, zonal head of PVR Inox: “The Bengali audience loves a good script, irrespective of genre.” Navin Choukhani of Navina Cinema agrees, “Good stories do great at the box office. Everything boils down to strong content.” Film lovers like Rosy Rao add, “Good storytelling always triumphs over hype or the time of release.”

Let's peek at the celebrities and stories behind the big four:

• DEVI CHOWDHURANI Directed by Subhrajit Mitra, starring Prosenjit Chatterjee and Srabanti Chatterjee. This adaptation of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay’s novel promises a powerful story of a woman rebel. Its Times Square teaser even brought international attention!

• RAGHU DAKAT Directed by Dhrubo Banerjee, featuring Dev and Idhika Paul. Fans await Dev’s intense performance, grand sets, and the proven Dev–Dhrubo magic for a deeply emotional experience.

• RAKTABEEJ 2 Directed by Nandita Roy and Shiboprosad Mukherjee, with Victor Banerjee and Abir Chatterjee leading. The sequel aims at bigger topics like terrorism and national tension across global sites.

• JOTO KANDO KOLKATATEI Directed by Anik Datta, starring Abir Chatterjee and Paran Bandopadhyay. This film promises a nostalgic yet thoughtful journey in a beloved Bengali movie style.

So, which film will steal your Pujo heart? With such fierce competition and stellar stories, this festive season’s movie battle in Bengal is a treat you won’t want to miss!

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Tags: Bengali films, Durga puja, Movie releases, Film screening rules, Film competition,