The national public broadcaster, Prasar Bharati, is currently reviewing a proposal to support a film titled ‘Tillotoma’. This film is based on the deeply disturbing rape and murder of a medical student that occurred at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College in August 2024. Gaurav Dwivedi, the Chief Executive Officer of Prasar Bharati, confirmed to HT that the proposal has been received and is under evaluation.
This case became a focal point for significant protests across West Bengal, quickly becoming politicized as the state’s opposition party, the Bharatiya Janata Party, raised questions about the ruling Trinamool Congress. The incident itself involved the death of a young doctor within the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital premises. The extreme brutality of the crime, coupled with allegations of inadequate police response, fueled public outrage and led to an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
However, the victim’s family has expressed strong opposition to the film project. The father of the victim stated, “We have no interest in the film being made because this doesn’t help our case at all. We just want justice. The director is making it for his benefit. They keep calling us and disturbing us. We want nothing to do with the film.”
Sanjay Roy, identified as the primary accused in the case, was handed a life sentence by a sessions court in Kolkata on January 20. Despite this verdict, the victim’s family remains dissatisfied and has appealed to the Calcutta High Court.
The film is set to be directed by Ujjwal Chatterjee, an acclaimed director known for his National Award-winning Bengali feature ‘Gondi’ and for directing ‘Escape from Taliban’. He plans to narrate ‘Tillotoma’ from the perspective of the victim’s mother, with former Rajya Sabha MP and actress Rupa Ganguly slated to portray the lead role.
Chatterjee has reportedly reached out to the victim’s parents to obtain consent for using their daughter’s real name in the film. He indicated that if permission is not granted, the movie will still proceed but under a different name. He also claimed to have received encouragement from Prasar Bharati officials, specifically naming Chairman Navneet Sehgal, who declined to comment when approached.
Given the sensitive nature of the case and ongoing investigations, Chatterjee anticipates potential challenges filming in Kolkata and is considering New Delhi as an alternative location. He anticipates opposition within the state once filming begins, aiming to start production in December 2025 and conclude by January 2026, with a target release before the West Bengal Assembly elections in March 2026.
Chatterjee has also stated that the film has the backing of certain factions within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in West Bengal, with MLA Agnimitra Paul reportedly providing significant assistance. However, the state BJP president, Samik Bhattacharya, has denied any official party involvement, stating, “The BJP has no role in the making of this film.”
Paul, however, offered a different perspective, confirming her personal involvement with the victim’s family and her efforts to gain their support for the film, despite their lawyer’s reservations. She expressed her belief that the film could shed light on the truth, alleging mishandling of the case by state authorities.