KOLKATA, June 9 -- At a Lok Sabha election rally in Hooghly in May 2024, Union Home minister Amit Shah took a swipe at the Mamata Banerjee government, remarking that if filmmaker Satyajit Ray were alive today, he would have made 'Hirak Ranir Deshe' instead of 'Hirak Rajar Deshe'. The comment later gained traction and was widely used in social media campaigns during the recent Assembly elections.
Now, after a power change in Bengal with the BJP forming the government, director Ujjwal Chatterjee on Tuesday announced a Bengali film titled 'Hirak Ranir Deshe', starring BJP leader and veteran actress Jaya Prada. The 'Escape From Taliban' director had earlier planned 'Tilottama', inspired by the RG Kar junior doctor's death, but shelved the project. The new film also stars Bhaswar Chatterjee, Amrita Chattopadhyay, Badshah Moitra and Rajnandini Paul.
While the makers remained tight-lipped about the plot, the title 'Hirak Ranir Deshe' has fuelled speculation about references to the previous TMC regime. Asked if she was playing Mamata Banerjee, Jaya Prada said: "I was told about the film five-six months ago, and I liked the story. It's a political satire."
Explaining why 'Tilottama' was dropped, Chatterjee said: "I am doing a film on the mysterious death of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay, so there is no political pressure. But the family of Tilottama may not want the film now."
On 'Hirak Ranir Deshe' political undertones, the director added: "Since it is a political satire like Satyajit Ray's 'Hirak Rajar Deshe', the film will naturally have a regime."
The film will be shot entirely in Bengal from June 21 and is slated for a Durga Puja
2026 release.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.