Prosenjit Chatterjee, a prominent figure in Bengali cinema, has recently found himself at the center of a controversy following an interaction with a journalist. The incident occurred at a trailer launch event for the upcoming Hindi film "Maalik," where Prosenjit was present alongside Rajkummar Rao. A reporter posed questions to Prosenjit in Bengali, to which the actor responded by questioning the need to speak in Bengali. This remark ignited a social media storm, with many criticizing Prosenjit for his perceived disapproval of the language.
The reporter's questions reportedly concerned the differences between Prosenjit's role as a cop in "Maalik" and his previous roles in Bengali films, as well as his opinion on Rajkummar Rao portraying Sourav Ganguly in an upcoming biopic. It was after these questions that Prosenjit made the comment about speaking in Bengali, which was captured on video and quickly circulated online.
The backlash against Prosenjit's statement was swift and widespread. Many social media users expressed their disappointment and disapproval, with some accusing the actor of being ashamed of his Bengali identity. One Facebook user's post, translated to English, read, "Why ask questions in Bengali, huh? Even though I'm Bengali — oh! How shameful, how embarrassing". Others drew comparisons to A.R. Rahman, noting how the musician jokingly declines to answer questions posed in Hindi, whereas Prosenjit seemed to discourage the use of Bengali altogether.
Amidst the criticism, some observers pointed out that Rajkummar Rao, despite not being Bengali, acknowledged and understood the reporter's questions, even conveying their meaning to others present. This further fueled the negative perception of Prosenjit's response.
In the wake of the controversy, Prosenjit has reportedly issued an apology, though details of the apology were not available in the provided context. This isn't the first time the actor has had to apologize for comments perceived as insensitive. In 2015, he apologized to his Bangladeshi fans after a Facebook post was interpreted as a jibe at the Bangladesh cricket team. In that instance, Prosenjit expressed being "deeply hurt" by the comments he received and stated that he never intended to undermine Bangladesh. He attributed the controversial dialogue to a line from his film "Amor Prem" and apologized for any unintentional mistakes.
The current situation highlights the sensitivity surrounding language and cultural identity, particularly in a diverse country like India. Prosenjit Chatterjee, being a celebrated figure in Bengali cinema, is seen as a representative of the Bengali culture. His comments have therefore been viewed as a reflection of his attitude towards the language itself. It remains to be seen how this incident will impact his public image and future interactions with the media and his fans.
