I’m just an ordinary artiste, with no connections beyond my work: Chanchal

As the country rejoices in the reformation process for a new Bangladesh, one artiste is in despair. Chanchal Chowdhury, the most successful actor of the past decade, is being attacked on social media, enduring metaphorical flames.

The actor is struggling with his mother's illness and relentless social media trolling. In an interview, he shared, "I've dedicated my life to entertaining, never engaging in politics. Yet now, I'm caught in the crossfire, misunderstood by my fans, and at a loss for words to express this pain."

Chanchal's fans have been misled by false claims, painting him as unsupportive of the anti-discrimination student movement. A story about him singing for Sheikh Hasina has also gone viral.

To move past the situation, the actor wrote a message on his Facebook page today to clarify his position and circumstances to his fans. He stated, "I am Chanchal Chowdhury, and I want to clarify that I am not responsible for any statements made in my name in any foreign or domestic newspapers or on social media, throughout the development of the current situation — I personally never issued any statements in the media or on social platforms. I am simply an ordinary artiste, with no ties to anything outside my professional work. Due to my mother's severe illness, I have not been very active on social media recently. I wish for peace in our land and send my best wishes to everyone."

The actor likely hoped that his social media post would help resolve the situation. However, the reaction was quite the opposite, with a flood of negative comments overwhelming the comments section.

In an interview with Bangla Tribune, Chanchal Chowdhury mentioned, "I am carefully reading every comment and revisiting some of them multiple times. I promise not to delete any of them. I view these comments as a form of recognition from the people of this country for my artistic career, which I have dedicated myself to through hard work, dedication, and honesty over the past three decades.

"If I had chosen to, I could have pursued a career as an MP or minister, but I didn't. My desire is to be remembered as a beloved artiste of the people. Currently, I am receiving that recognition through criticism. I will not delete the ridicules; I see them as a form of acknowledgement," he added.

Chanchal Chowdhury and his family have faced harsh difficulties for the past 15 days due to his mother's illness. A series of curfews, road blockades, and cut-offs of internet and phone access complicated their efforts to transport her from the village to Dhaka. Although they eventually reached Dhaka, the ongoing restrictions delayed her hospital admission, and she began treatment at her sister's house.

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Chanchal expressed, "During the student movement, my siblings and I were focused on our mother's illness and couldn't follow the events. Now that she is improving and the situation is stabilising, misinformation about me persists. I haven't had the chance to speak with the media for the past 15 to 20 days. Who will hear and understand my side of the story?"

The Chanchal Chowdhury starrer, Srijit Mukherji's directorial "Padatik", where he plays Mrinal Sen, is set to release in India on August 15. However, his plans to attend the film's premiere and promotions in India are uncertain due to the current uncertain challenges faced by the nation.