Actor-Politician Hema Malini Flags Cultural Suppression in West Bengal
Hema Malini writes to LS Speaker over artists’ struggles in Bengal.
Actor-politician Hema Malini has written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, raising concerns about what she described as “cultural fascism” in West Bengal, which she said poses both a security risk and adversely affects livelihoods. The BJP MP from Mathura shared the development in a post on X, stating that the letter highlights the challenges faced by artists in the state.
Speaking to reporters at Parliament, Hema Malini said the move was prompted by personal experience but refrained from giving further details. “It was my personal experience. I don’t know why they are behaving like this with the artists. I felt sad,” she said, without elaborating on specific incidents.
The term “cultural fascism” generally refers to the systematic control, censorship, or shaping of a nation’s arts, media, and cultural expressions according to a particular ideological framework. Hema Malini’s concerns come amid ongoing controversies in West Bengal’s film and theatre industry.
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Last year, filmmakers of The Bengal Files alleged that their film faced an unofficial ban in West Bengal ahead of its release. Producer Pallavi Joshi claimed theatre owners were pressured, leading to the cancellation of the trailer launch, though the state government denied involvement and attributed the issue to limited screen availability.
BJP leader Mithun Chakraborty also criticised the state government, alleging it blocked The Bengal Files while labelling another film, Dhurandhar, as “propaganda.” He said, “From the very beginning, you opposed it and did not allow the film to be released in Bengal. What could be more unfortunate than this?” Chakraborty added that Dhurandhar performed well despite the government’s criticism.
Hema Malini’s letter underscores rising political and cultural tensions in West Bengal, drawing attention to the challenges faced by artists and filmmakers amid debates over censorship and freedom of expression.
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