Veteran actor and BJP leader Mithun Chakraborty has been appointed cultural adviser to the West Bengal government with Cabinet minister rank, marking the veteran actor’s first formal role in the state administration. The appointment places him within the Information and Cultural Affairs Department, where he is expected to advise the government on cultural and film-related initiatives.
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The appointment formalises an announcement made by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari in September during the foundation-laying ceremony of the Uttam Kumar Film Centre in New Town. The move comes after months of consultation between the government and the actor on cultural and film-industry matters. Chakraborty has been associated with discussions on programmes linked to the birth centenary celebrations of legendary actor Uttam Kumar, tourism promotion and initiatives aimed at supporting the state’s film sector. The government has cited his long association with Bengal’s film and cultural landscape as an important factor behind the decision. The proposal is linked to the government’s wider efforts to strengthen film-related infrastructure in the state. The project is expected to include cinema halls, a large auditorium, an open-air theatre and facilities for film production and post-production.
Because it gives him a formal role in an area where he has already been contributing informally, his appointment is also significant. The formal order was issued on October 7 by the state’s Personnel and Administrative Reforms Department. West Bengal has allocated Rs 25 crore for the Uttam Kumar Film Centre in New Town, which is planned as a major hub for the entertainment industry.
Chakraborty has been appointed adviser to the government in the Information and Cultural Affairs Department with immediate effect and will hold the rank of a Cabinet minister until further orders, according to the notification. Supporting the government’s action, Chakraborty said the review of the institutions and their funding sources was important and should be examined carefully.
