Actor-MP Dev has stirred the pot in the Bengali film industry by launching a registration drive for ‘Swasthya Sathi’ health cards for technicians, while simultaneously exposing the industry’s deep-seated internal conflicts. Amidst allegations of an unofficial ban on actor-director Anirban Bhattacharya, Dev argued that it is not the actor who suffers, but the hundreds of technicians who lose out on work when projects are stalled.

Highlighting the shrinking landscape of Tollywood—where film production has dropped from 135 to 30 annually—Dev emphasized that the industry needs to focus on survival rather than internal politicking. He openly declared that he had been threatened with a ‘ban’ for taking up the health card initiative, yet he remains undeterred. “If I have to be banned for doing good for the people, I am ready for it,” he stated.

Dev further took a dig at the so-called ‘permission culture,’ dismissing it as a form of ‘dadagiri’ (hegemony). He asserted that producers should only need to ‘inform’ the Federation, not seek permission. As tensions escalate, observers are left wondering: is this debate truly about health benefits, or is it a calculated move to challenge the long-standing power monopoly within the industry?