Public broadcaster Prasar Bharati has confirmed that it is evaluating a proposal for a film titled Tillotoma, based on the rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital last year. The case, which shook the nation and triggered widespread protests across West Bengal, remains one of the most disturbing crimes in recent memory.
Prasar Bharati CEO Gaurav Dwivedi told the Hindustan Times that “the proposal for the movie has been received and is under evaluation.” The broadcaster functions under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) and often partners with filmmakers on projects of public interest.
About the Film ‘Tillotoma’
The proposed movie, Tillotoma, is directed by Ujjwal Chatterjee, a National Award-winning filmmaker best known for his 1992 Bengali film Gondi and Escape From Taliban (2003) starring Manisha Koirala. The film is reportedly inspired by the RG Kar Hospital incident, where the body of a 31-year-old postgraduate trainee was found in a seminar hall on August 9, 2024.
Chatterjee said the film would narrate the events from the perspective of the victim’s mother, with actor and Rajya Sabha MP Rupa Ganguly playing the lead role. He claimed that Prasar Bharati officials, including chairman Navneet Sehgal, had encouraged him to pursue the project. Sehgal, however, has not commented publicly.
Victim’s family expresses outrage
The victim’s family has vehemently opposed the film, accusing the director of commercially exploiting their tragedy.
“We have no interest in the film being made because this doesn’t help our case at all. We just want justice. The director is making it for his benefit,” said the victim’s father, adding that the repeated calls from the filmmakers were “disturbing and insensitive.”
Despite the family’s objection, Chatterjee said he would continue with the project even if the family does not give consent.
“If we don’t get permission, we will still make the movie, but under a different name,” he told reporters.
Political angle and controversy
According to reports, the film has found support from certain BJP leaders in West Bengal. BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul has confirmed her involvement in the project and said she is mediating between the filmmakers and the victim’s family.
“I have been with the parents since the beginning, and they have a soft corner for me. We are trying to convince them to support the film,” Paul said, though she admitted the family’s lawyer has advised against making the movie at this stage.
Director Chatterjee also hinted that the film could face opposition in Bengal and might instead be shot in Delhi, with a planned release ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, a detail that has added to the political sensitivity of the project.
The RG Kar Case
The RG Kar rape-murder case sent shockwaves through Bengal in August 2024, after the young doctor was found dead inside a seminar hall of the Chest Medicine Department at the state-run hospital. Her body bore signs of assault, sparking mass outrage and student-led protests across the state.
The case was later transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) following allegations of police inaction. The CBI arrested Sanjay Roy, a police civic volunteer, who was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment earlier this year. Two others, Sandip Ghosh and Abhijit Mondal, were also arrested for misleading the investigation.
While Prasar Bharati continues to evaluate the film proposal, the controversy surrounding Tillotama highlights the ongoing debate over artistic freedom versus sensitivity to victims. The broadcaster has yet to announce whether the film will be officially commissioned or released under its banner.
