kolkata

IIE DIGITAL DESK :West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu, who is also an acclaimed playwright, director and actor, recently addressed the idea of making a film on the ongoing education corruption controversies in the state. In an exclusive interview, he was asked whether he would consider making a movie focused on the recent teacher recruitment scam that has stirred political and public discourse. In his response, Bratya Basu said that his films are driven by the potential to entertain audiences, not necessarily by social or political issues.

He stated that the subject of education corruption, including the Bengal teacher recruitment scam, certainly contains enough elements that could be turned into an engaging film. However, he added that for him to take up any project as a filmmaker, it needs to have an entertaining narrative that can connect with the audience on a creative and emotional level. Bratya Basu drew comparisons with other infamous scams such as the Vyapam scam in Madhya Pradesh and the fodder scam in Bihar, suggesting that each of these has cinematic value, but the ultimate decision would depend on which story would best translate into compelling cinema.

Basu’s remarks come at a time when the state’s education department has faced intense scrutiny over irregularities in recruitment for teaching and non-teaching posts. Several arrests have been made, including that of former minister Partha Chatterjee, leading to growing demands for transparency and accountability. Despite being at the centre of the education system, Bratya Basu distanced his role as a minister from his creative identity, making it clear that as a filmmaker, he does not work with political agendas but with audience appeal in mind.