"I didn't know where to turn."
In a recent interview, the actress Dilruba Hossain Doyel delved into alleged unpaid wages during Chandrabati Kotha.
Doyel expressed her frustration over the situation, revealing that she and several other team members did not receive payment.
This includes people from the art department and costume designers as well.
She revealed: “It’s been three years since the film’s release, and neither the production team, art department, nor costume designers have been paid.
“Meanwhile, the director, who faced no such issues, has already secured another government grant for a new project.”
The film, directed by N Rashed Chowdhury, took five years to complete.
Doyel pointed out that the director moved on to secure another government grant for a new project.
Meanwhile, those who contributed to Chandrabati Kotha are still awaiting payment.
When questioned about her silence on the matter until now, Doyel explained:
“I didn’t know where to turn. I’m not a member of Actors Equity Bangladesh or any other organisation.
“But what has the Actors Equity done for struggling artists?
“They might hold prayer gatherings for deceased artistes, but what about those suffering in silence?”
In response to Dilruba Hossain Doyel’s accusations, Chowdhury expressed his shock and sadness.
He said: “It’s really unfortunate and painful.
“I’ve always kept in touch with Doyel, and she never brought up any outstanding payments.
“Yes, sometimes final payments can be delayed, but making such sweeping public statements is unfair.
“I was genuinely surprised to hear her remarks. Doyel herself collected a payment from Bengal’s office at one point.
“No one has ever contacted me directly to say they hadn’t been paid.”
Chowdhury clarified that Bengal Creations covered a significant portion of the film’s budget which amounted to Tk 1.39 crores.
He continued: “Of this amount, Tk 35 lakh came from government grants, while I personally raised an additional Tk 20 lakh from private and borrowed sources.
“The remaining investment came from Bengal, in return for which they acquired all rights to the film, including the OTT rights, which they sold to Channel i.”
To substantiate his claims, Chowdhury shared an email from Bengal Creations dated October 4, 2018.
The email indicated a balance of Tk 1,14,000 owed to several crew members, some of which had already been settled.
He explained that each project had an executive producer responsible for financial records, and he remained accessible for any inquiries.
The director stated: “If someone can provide documents showing they are still owed money, I will personally ensure they are paid.”
Chowdhury also highlighted that he and Dilruba Hossain Doyel had attended multiple events together after the film’s release.
However, no issues were raised during those interactions.
He reiterated his commitment to honesty and integrity in his work, apologising if any mistakes had been made.
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