Opinion: Opinion: Tagore And Sarat Chandra's 1927 Dispute Returns In Srijit Mukherji's New Film
Director Srijit Mukherji’s upcoming film 'Emperor Vs Sarat Chandra' explores the historical intellectual dispute between Rabindranath Tagore and Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay regarding the 1926 banning of the novel 'Pather Dabi'. The film examines the role of artists in challenging political power, a theme that remains relevant in contemporary West Bengal.
Why it matters
The film highlights the enduring importance of literary dissent and the historical tradition of intellectual debate in Bengali culture.
A hundred years ago the British banned a book because of the ideas it contained. The novelist was Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay - one of the literary legends from Bengal. He turned to Rabindranath Tagore for support against the ban. Tagore had a different take on the protest. Cut to 2026, West Bengal has just seen a major political change. And in the first Durga Puja since that change, Bengal's renowned director Srijit Mukherji brings back to the screen the Sarat Chandra-Tagore dispute in his film 'Emperor Vs Sarat Chandra' set to release on October 15.Bengal has a long tradition of intellectual disagreement spilling beyond literature into politics and public life.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in