Artists in Bengal to return government awards in support of doctors’ protests

Theatre personalities and actor return awards in protest against Kolkata rape and murder case, criticizing Trinamool MLA's remarks.

Two well-known theatre personalities and a National Award-winning actor have said that they will return awards given by the West Bengal government in protest against the R. G. Kar rape and murder case.

Acclaimed veteran playwright Chandan Sen, theatre director Biplab Bandyopadhyay and actor Sudipta Chakraborty said they will return awards after Trinamool Congress MLA and Bengali film actor Kanchan Mullick’s remarks on protesters. 

On Sunday (September 3, 2024), Mr. Mullick had said that many government employees are participating in the protests and asked if they would not take their salary and bonus. “People who have taken government awards, will they give it back since they are protesting against the government,” he had asked. 

Many senior artists have taken exception to these comments and called the MLA “arrogant”.

Mr. Sen, an 80-year-old thespian who has spent 52 years doing theatre, said he was shocked by his “colleague and acquaintance” Mr. Mullick’s comments. “I used to know Kanchan, I thought he respected me as a senior in the theatre world. I cannot believe what he said. I believe if he did not have political backing, he would not have the audacity to make such comments,” Mr. Sen told The Hindu.

Mr. Sen will return the ‘Dinabandhu Mitra Puroshkar’ presented to him by the government. It is one of the most prestigious awards in theatre. 

“Awards are given with taxpayer’s money. I believed I got the award because people liked my work. But I am not greedy. If they have this audacity to ask us to return it, I will. I have already mailed them asking about the process of returning the award replica and the money,” he said. “My father was a doctor at a government hospital for over 40 years. I feel very personally for this cause and the plight of the doctors.”