Archive · 31 Oct 2025
Bengali Film Industry Caps Releases to Three Per Prime Date
Imagine a popular toy store that only gets a few new toys on special days.
The people who make movies in Bengal decided that on these important movie-release days, only three new movies will come out.
This is to stop too many big movies from coming out at once and fighting for attention, which they think hurts ticket sales.
They also created a special team to pick these release days.
Plus, they agreed to limit how long movie workers can be on set each day and give them a pay raise.
This all happened after a busy holiday season where too many movies came out at the same time, causing arguments.
Bengali film industry stakeholders agreed to release a maximum of three films on 10 designated prime release dates annually.
A screening committee will establish a calendar of these 10 prime dates, which will include major festivals.
Film producers will be allocated prime slots based on the number of films they commit to releasing per year.
Technicians' working hours are capped at 18 hours per day, and their wages will increase by 33%.
This decision aims to prevent clashes that have negatively impacted the local film industry's box-office performance, notably after a crowded Durga Puja release schedule.
- Who
- Eastern India Motion Picture Association (EIMPA), Federation of Cine Technicians and Workers of Eastern India, film producers, directors, and technicians
- What
- Decided to limit releases to a maximum of three films on 10 prime release dates annually to prevent clashes and boost box-office returns for the local industry.
- When
- Decided at a meeting on Wednesday
- Where
- Eastern India
- Why
- To prevent multiple big-budget films from clashing on prime release dates, which has been hurting the local industry's box-office returns.
Producers' Commitment
Prime Slot Allocation
Number of Films
Producers' Commitment
Producers have committed to releasing a certain number of films annually (e.g., three production houses committed to six films a year, four others to four films a year).
Prime Slot Allocation
Prime release slots will be allocated proportionally: those releasing six films get four prime dates, those releasing four or more get two, and those releasing two or more get one.
- Date of Meeting
- Wednesday
- Number of Prime Release Dates
- 10
- Maximum Films Per Prime Date
- 3
- Technician Working Hour Cap
- 18 hours
- Technician Wage Hike
- 33%