The West Bengal government has mandated that all cinema halls and multiplexes across the state must screen at least one Bengali film per day in a prime-time slot. This directive, issued on Wednesday, aims to promote the Bengali film industry and ensure that regional cinema receives adequate exposure.

According to the official notification from the information and cultural affairs department, every cinema hall and each screen of every multiplex must hold 365 prime-time screenings of Bengali films throughout the year. This translates to at least one Bengali film show per day, every day of the year. The notification specifies that "prime time" refers to shows held between 3:00 PM and 9:00 PM. Some reports suggest the prime time extends until 10:00 PM. This order is effective immediately and will remain in force until further notice, with amendments to the West Bengal Cinemas (Regulation of Public Exhibitions) Rules, 1956 to be made in due course.

The decision follows appeals from prominent figures in Tollywood, who expressed concerns about "discriminatory treatment" towards Bengali films. On August 6, actors such as Prosenjit Chatterjee and Dev, along with filmmakers Kaushik Ganguly and Srijit Mukherji, and producers including Shrikant Mohta and Nispal Singh Rane, urged Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to intervene. Their plea came after Kaushik Ganguly's film "Dhumketu" faced a release clash with a big-budget Bollywood movie.

In response to these concerns, Minister Aroop Biswas convened a meeting with around 40 stakeholders from the film industry, including exhibitors, distributors, technicians, producers, directors, and actors. During the meeting, industry representatives requested better show timings, extended runs for Bengali films, and a mechanism to prevent multiple releases from crowding the same weekend.

Biswas welcomed the new order, calling it a "historic step" to promote the Bengali language and film industry. He noted that the previous notification from September 14, 2018, required film halls to show 120 Bengali movies a year. The new mandate significantly increases this number, requiring each screen to show 365 Bengali films annually. Minister of Information and Cultural Affairs Indranil Sen hailed the decision as a historic day for the revival of Bengali culture.

The move is seen as a push for "Bengali Asmita" (Bengali pride) by the Trinamool Congress government, especially with the upcoming elections in 2026. It also aligns with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's recent "Bhasha Andolan (language movement)" to protest the alleged harassment of Bengali-speaking people in other states.

While the directive is welcomed by many in the Bengali film industry, some concerns remain about the scheduling flexibility of theatre owners, particularly multiplex chains with tight programming schedules. It remains to be seen how strictly the new order will be enforced.