West Bengal witnessed a historic political turnaround earlier this month as BJP legislature party leader Suvendu Adhikari took oath as the Chief Minister, leading the state’s first BJP government. The victory marked the end of Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress’ long rule that began in 2011.

Among those present at the swearing-in ceremony was Bengali actor Paayel Sarkar, who has now opened up about the changing dynamics within the Bengali film industry and the challenges many artists have allegedly faced over the years.

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‘Politics And Cinema Became Deeply Connected’

In an interaction with Sangbad Protidin, Paayel reflected on the arrival of a new government as a possible turning point for the entertainment industry. According to her, the relationship between politics and cinema has grown far too influential in recent years.

The actor said the film industry should never function according to political preferences or affiliations.

Speaking candidly about her experiences, she stated, “Due to so much political influence, what has happened is that the ones who are truly deserving have been cornered and left behind. That should not have happened. I have been an actor for the last 20 years here, and I have worked with so many big names. So from a young age, I have seen the industry and I have seen it change in the last few years too. So I know the difference.”

Paayel Recalls Being Replaced At The Last Moment

Paayel also revealed that she personally experienced repeated setbacks despite being approached for significant projects. The actor explained how several opportunities disappeared abruptly, often without any formal communication.

Sharing her disappointment, she said, “Now I also feel bad saying this but I have also been a part of this. Where I know how I have been replaced from a big production 2-3 times in the last moment after being offered those projects. I am going for the script reading and I got a call saying that today it is not happened and I will be told when it happens next. But I was not informed what took place next and I saw someone else was cast for the project. In all probability, the one who was supposed to be cast was there.”

‘I Was Approached And Then Replaced’

The actor further noted that such incidents were not isolated and happened repeatedly during her career. However, she chose not to publicly identify the individuals involved.

She added, “I do not want to name them because it does not matter. It has happened not once but multiple times. I was approached and then replaced… I got that phone call first. There should be some decency in informing me that this is not happening. I have never asked for sympathy for this.”

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Paayel’s remarks have now reignited debate around the role of political influence in regional cinema and whether artistic merit has taken a backseat in parts of the Bengali entertainment industry.