Editor's Choice
Interview with Subhrajit Mitra : Devi Chowdhurani…Bandit Queen of Bengal
Subhrajit Mitra‘s creative odyssey has been a tapestry woven with passion, learning, and an unwavering commitment to his vision. In this exclusive interview, we delve into the mind of Subhrajit Mitra, unraveling the intricacies of his creative process, the inspiration that fuels his stories, and the upcoming cinematic film that promises to captivate audiences worldwide. Join us as we venture into the heart of cinematic artistry with a director whose narratives resonate beyond the screen.
About You and Your background ? Lets begin days when you were aspiring to be , Days When you became what you are , professional upgrades in your journey?
I have completed my bachelors degree in Computer science and Engineering from a premier university of India. After that I have done a certificate course in ancient Classical literature from the Harvard University and got my Honorary Doctorate in Literature from a reputed university of South India. I used to make documentaries for Government of India [ Defence and Home ministry ] and also for National Geographic Channel, Discovery and History Channel. I have learned the process of film making all by myself. Studying extensively in American ,British, German and Russian libraries and watching world classics in theatres and film festivals. I aspired to be a director, when I was 13/14 years old, after watching E.T. by Steven Spielberg in a theatre and pursued my dream ever since.
How do you convince yourself with things that you have to shoot for a film but you actually don’t otherwise believe?
I don’t shoot anything which I don’t believe in. simple, period. I am extremely choosy and strict about this from the very beginning. Absolutely no compromise, whatsoever.
Your Scripting Process ? Your approach to casting ?
I prefer classical literatures with historical background. Making period pieces gives the opportunity to research, to recreate the history which is fascinating. First if any classic literature appeals me, I start researching on the time period , the customs, the political and social scenario, the attires and many more detailed aspects. Then I study other notable literature and biographies of the noted personalities of that same time period for cross referencing and to incorporate that in my screenplay. And then I write the script organically. And I still use fountain pen to write a script rather than a computer as I prefer the human touch more.
Casting is very intuitive and organic process for me from the scripting stage itself.
How much does your life influences your story telling and the characters that you bring to life ?
To some extent, I try to incorporate my philosophical thoughts in the dialogues. I choose only those stories which is appealing to me personally, which I want to tell in the big screen.
How do you work on yourself to become better in your field learning, observing, reading ?
I am voracious reader. And I watch movies a lot. mainly films based on literatures. That’s the way I continuously upgrade myself.
Filmmaking is team work. Tell us about your team and what sort of pre planning gets done before you decide to make a film. Tough things about making films and what keeps you going despite those tough things ?
I choose my team according to the genre and subjects. If that means repeating someone, I don’t mind. But since I am working in the industry for quite sometime and best of the technicians and actors are all my friends, it’s easy to pick and choose for each individual project. They are all available for me as per my requirements. The kind of film I make, I do all the research, I choose the subject and the story, I write the screenplay, I do the production designing and I also Direct. So it takes longer than usual as I spearhead all these departments all by myself [ I have assistants in production design and directorial department only, and it’s by choice . But I enjoy the entire process. I don’t find it tough. Only the budget and finance factors are stressful for me, not the creative aspects.
Title Of Your New Release
Devi Chowdhurani…Bandit Queen of Bengal
What is the central theme of film ?
I was studying and researching on the Battle of Plassey, Battle of Buxar, The Great Bengal Famine of 1770 and the Sanyasi and Fakir Rebellion which spans across this era. Off course this includes the advent and invasion of the British East India Company in India in it’s early years. Co-incidentally “Anandamath” and “Devi Chowdhurani” by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay are based on the similar timescale where I find the latter is more appealing in terms of a Film. It narrates a journey of a simple village girl who eventually becomes the first Indian woman freedom fighter, historically, against the colonial rule in India in the later part of the 18th century.
I felt this story through my cinematic interpretation would be my humble homage to my Motherland in her 75th year of independence. It also tells the story of the Hindu ascetic monks who had no other option but to take up arms against the British colonial rules to save the country and her people. It was the first armed revolution by the Indians , led by Bhavani Charan Pathak, against the British East India Company. I only had to adapt the storyline into the alternative historical interpretation.
The basic plotline remains the same but almost 80% of the film is closer to the actual history, rather than the novel. It is built on the premise of “what might have actually happened”. Even Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay wrote the novel almost after a 100 year of the original incidents. I had to study extensively from the archives of East India Company in London, several texts and manuscripts from Asiatic society, British Library, Victoria Memorial and Indian Museum.
how many days it took you to shoot ? What locations it has been shot at ?
We have planned for a shoot of close to 60 days. The film will be extensively shoot in various locations across West Bengal named Purulia, Kolkata & Bolpur.
Share your thoughts about production process . Any interesting trivia about its making ?
“Devi Chowdhurani” [ Bandit Queen of Bengal ], gives me the opportunity to get me out of my comfort zone. It is much bigger canvas than my last film, it is actually a part of our lesser known history. After winning my National award for my last film “Avijatrik” [ The Wanderlust of Apu ], I wanted to tell this story, the urge was intense. I wanted to make a very realistic film on this novel and the time period which portrays a plausible historical reconstruction. I am fascinated by the films of similar genre by the master directors such as Akira Kurosawa and Ridley Scott. The seven samurai, Roshomon, Ran, Throne of blood, Gladiator, Robinhood to name a few.
What platforms will the film be released? Date of release?
The film will be released in Autumn 2024 and will be available globally across various leading platform as well as wide theatrical release.
Any other project you are working on ? Some details about the film ?
There are few others but right now my entire concentration is on Devi Chowdhurani. One project at a time.
How do you deal with Negative Feedbacks ? How do you stay balanced with Positive Feedback ?
I am my biggest critic. Despite winning several prestigious international and national awards, including the highest film award from the Government of India, from the President herself, I still consider myself a student. I have achieved only 40% of my full potential. I read and listen to all feedbacks, negative and positive. And then delete all those from my mind. To me film making is a lonesome, organic process.
How did you hear about CarryOnHarry ? Any message for Studio? Any Suggestion that we can make it better?
Heard about it from my friends in Hollywood. You are doing great stuff and pls keep helping independent filmmakers like us to have our voices and creativity heard in mainstream media.
IMDB Link
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3392438/?ref_=tt_ov_dr
Facebook Handle
https://www.facebook.com/subhrajit.mitra.18
Twitter Handle
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Editor's Choice
Mirzapur: The Movie Day 1 — Rs. 29.70 Crore Gross Beats Projections, But Weekend Hold Is the Real Verdict
Mirzapur: The Movie Day 1 — Rs. 29.70 Crore Gross Beats Projections, But Weekend Hold Is the Real Verdict
MassMasala — Studio CarryOnHarry Trade Desk
Here is the contradiction worth sitting with: a film with no conventional Bollywood superstar, no Rs. 200 crore vanity production, and a cast built entirely of character actors — Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal, Ravi Kishan, Divyendu Sharma, Jitendra Kumar, Abhishek Banerjee — has just opened bigger than most marquee productions of 2026. Mirzapur: The Movie grossed Rs. 29.70 crore on Day 1, beating industry projections that were already pegged at Rs. 25-26 crore. You cannot manipulate a hall. And on Friday, the halls were telling a clear story.
The ground signals were there before release. Advance booking opened with a bang — the kind of unsolicited, early fan-driven booking that is the clearest organic indicator in the pre-release phase. That advance converted cleanly into opening day footfalls. Gross of Rs. 29.70 crore against a strong advance is not corporate booking doing rounds — that is fandom activated and physically present. Compare this to Awarapan 2, the last crime franchise to test this theatrical turf, which Mirzapur: The Movie has already outrun on Day 1 alone. That is a benchmark worth taking seriously.
The context here is genre migration — and it is significant. Mirzapur built its cult on OTT, across two seasons, in living rooms and on phone screens at midnight. The question the entire trade was asking: will that OTT fandom pay Rs. 250-350 for a theatre ticket? Day 1 says yes. This is not a small thing. It confirms that when a franchise has genuine emotional ownership with its audience, the migration from streaming to theatrical is achievable.
But here is where MassMasala will not give false comfort. Day 1 belongs to the converted fan. The theatrical audience is small and deliberate — roughly 4-5 crore people in India who still choose to go to cinemas. Saturday and Sunday will tell us whether word-of-mouth is spreading beyond the fandom into general audience. If Mirzapur: The Movie holds 80-90% on Day 2, the film has real legs and a Rs. 80+ crore nett run is on the table. If it drops sharply, Day 1 was a one-time event, not a sustained theatrical hit. Box office is brutal, and box office does not lie. Gurmmeet Singh ki film ne ISI mark ke liye avedan diya hai — approval agle 48 ghante mein milegi.Editor’s VerdictOpening day numbers for an ensemble crime film — no Khan, no Kumar, no Kapoor in the billing — crossing Rs. 29 crore tells you something the industry has been reluctant to say clearly: character actors with genuine audience investment are now a commercial proposition, not just a critical one. What Mirzapur has done here is prove that emotional ownership of a franchise travels further than a single star’s opening weekend pull. That said, Day 1 is written by believers. The harder test is always Day 2 onward, when the casual cinemagoer decides whether word-of-mouth earns their ticket money. OTT-to-theatrical migration at this scale is rare enough to deserve attention, but the sustainability question remains open. A franchise built in living rooms now needs to justify the multiplex premium repeatedly — not just once.
Beyond the headlines, the real disruption here isn’t the numbers; it’s the quiet proof that in 2026, a story can be the star.Studio Ki RayeOTT-to-theatrical migration ka yeh sabse clean case study hai jo Bollywood ne recently dekha hai — aur iska asli lesson star power ke baare mein nahi, IP ownership ke baare mein hai. Jab audience kisi franchise ke characters se genuinely connected hoti hai, toh woh ticket window tak jaati hai — chahe koi Khan ho ya na ho. Lekin jo cheez trade miss kar rahi hai woh yeh hai: Day 1 ka Rs. 29.70 crore essentially ek pre-sold fanbase tha. Asli experiment Saturday se shuru hota hai. Agar general audience — jo Mirzapur kabhi nahi dekha — word-of-mouth par hall mein aati hai, tab yeh model replicable hai. Agar nahi aati, toh yeh ek loyal cult ki ek-baar ki celebration thi, sustainable theatrical franchise nahi. Doono results important hain — ek alag-alag reasons se.
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Source: livenewsvault.com
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The OTT Gatekeepers Said No. Then ₹61 Crore Said Otherwise.
Studio CarryOnHarry Entertainment Desk | 5 September 2026
From Boardroom Rejection to Box Office Triumph
Not every blockbuster begins with a standing ovation. For Vishal Chaturvedi, the journey behind Hanuman Ansh — a spiritual drama inspired by the life and legacy of revered saint Neem Karoli Baba — started with a door firmly shut in his face.
The director has now opened up about a painful pitch meeting with an OTT platform, where executives reportedly used language he described as outright derogatory in dismissing his project. Despite the sting of those words, Chaturvedi pressed on — and the audience has since delivered its own resounding verdict.
₹61 Crore and Counting: The Numbers Tell the Story
Hanuman Ansh has quietly become one of the more remarkable box office stories of the year. After a slow opening, the film gradually found its footing and crossed the ₹61 crore mark within 27 days of release — a testament to strong word-of-mouth and the loyal devotion of audiences drawn to its spiritual subject matter.
Verified reports indicate the film has continued to build momentum, with some tracking sources suggesting the total could climb even further. For a modestly budgeted production rooted in faith and folklore, that trajectory is extraordinary.
The Film and Its Cast
Running at a substantial 2 hours 30 minutes, Hanuman Ansh features lead performances from Shobhinaw Satyaa and Vihaan Shedge, with Chandan Anand also noted among the principal cast in verified reports. The film leans into its devotional tone without compromise — a creative gamble that clearly paid off.
Why Rejection Is Part of the Filmmaker’s Journey
Chaturvedi was careful not to frame his experience as unique. He acknowledged that rejection is a routine part of any filmmaker’s life — but stressed that the manner of this particular rejection crossed a line. His candour has struck a chord with many in the industry.
- OTT platform rejected the Hanuman Ansh pitch using what director called ‘derogatory’ language
- Film went on to earn ₹61 crore in 27 days despite a slow theatrical start
- Stars Shobhinaw Satyaa, Vihaan Shedge, and Chandan Anand
- Runtime: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Subject: Life and teachings of Neem Karoli Baba
What This Means for Indie and Spiritual Cinema
Stories like Hanuman Ansh’s journey are increasingly shaping the conversation around what kinds of films deserve a chance. For the latest in Bollywood’s top stories, the rise of faith-driven narratives at the box office is a trend worth watching closely.
Across the broader landscape, outlets providing entertainment industry coverage have noted a growing appetite among Indian audiences for films rooted in spirituality and cultural heritage — a space that mainstream OTT gatekeepers may be underestimating.
Studio CarryOnHarry Perspective
Hanuman Ansh is proof that passion projects built on conviction can outlast boardroom scepticism. The OTT platform that dismissed Vishal Chaturvedi’s vision with dismissive language now watches from the sidelines as audiences vote with their wallets. This is a wake-up call for streaming decision-makers who overlook India’s deep spiritual storytelling tradition. At Studio CarryOnHarry, we believe the gatekeepers need to listen more carefully — because clearly, the audience already knows what it wants.
– Entertainment Desk, Studio Carry On Harry
Background & Timeline
Hanuman Ansh is a devotional drama centred on the life and teachings of Neem Karoli Baba, one of India’s most beloved spiritual figures. Directed by Vishal Chaturvedi and starring Shobhinaw Satyaa and Vihaan Shedge, the film entered cinemas without significant fanfare but steadily built an audience through grassroots word-of-mouth. By day 27 of its theatrical run, it had accumulated ₹61 crore at the box office — a remarkable turnaround from its modest opening. The director’s revelation about an OTT platform’s dismissive rejection has added a compelling behind-the-scenes chapter to its underdog story.
Studio CarryOnHarry Perspective
At Studio CarryOnHarry, the Hanuman Ansh story resonates deeply. When an OTT platform dismisses a filmmaker’s sincere vision with disrespect, and audiences then deliver a ₹61 crore rebuke at the multiplex, it says something profound about where India’s cultural heart truly lies. Vishal Chaturvedi’s perseverance is a lesson for every creative who has faced a closed door. The gatekeepers may control the platforms — but they do not control the people. And in Bollywood, the people always have the final word.
What’s Next?
Watch for Hanuman Ansh’s final box office total as it continues its theatrical run — verified tracking suggests it may climb well beyond ₹61 crore. Director Vishal Chaturvedi’s comments about OTT gatekeeping are also likely to spark wider industry debate, with more filmmakers potentially coming forward to share similar experiences in the weeks ahead.
Editor’s Verdict
There is something quietly powerful about a filmmaker who absorbs a humiliating rejection and channels it into conviction rather than bitterness. Vishal Chaturvedi’s account matters not because rejection itself is unusual — every filmmaker has a drawer full of those — but because the manner of it reportedly crossed into contempt. That contempt, directed at a story rooted in devotion and Indian spiritual heritage, reveals a cultural blind spot that some OTT gatekeepers still haven’t corrected. Sixty-one crore rupees in 27 days, built almost entirely on word-of-mouth, is the market’s unambiguous reply. Faith-based cinema in India isn’t niche sentiment — it’s an underserved mainstream. Beyond the headlines, the real danger for streaming platforms isn’t backing the wrong film; it’s consistently misreading the room on what millions of ordinary Indians actually hold sacred.
Studio Ki Raye
OTT platforms ka yeh wala blind spot ab baar baar expose ho raha hai — aur Hanuman Ansh sirf latest example hai. Asli baat yeh nahi ki ek film reject hui; asli baat yeh hai ki algorithm-driven acquisition teams devotional aur spiritual content ka audience size consistently underestimate karti hain. Baahubali se leke The Kashmir Files tak, yeh pattern repeat hota raha hai — gatekeepers miss karte hain, aur phir scramble karte hain rights ke liye. ₹61 crore ka slow-burn collection actually zyada meaningful hai ek opening-weekend spike se, kyunki yeh genuine word-of-mouth hai, manufactured hype nahi. Streaming platforms ko yeh samajhna hoga ki India ka faith economy sirf Tier-1 urban audience tak nahi rukti — aur jo boardroom mein “niche” dikhta hai, woh aksar multiplex mein mass hota hai.
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