‘I was effectively banned for 10 years’: Sreelekha Mitra after Swarup Biswas arrest

Indian actress Sreelekha Mitra has spoken out following the arrest of film industry figure Swarup Biswas, claiming that she was “effectively banned” from the industry for the past 10 years and questioning the wider system that enabled such alleged misconduct.

Swarup Biswas, the brother of former West Bengal sports minister Arup Biswas, was arrested on Thursday night in connection with an alleged extortion racket operating within Kolkata’s Tollygunge film and television industry. His arrest followed a complaint filed by a makeup artist, who accused him of demanding money in exchange for work opportunities and threatening her when she failed to comply, according to police.

In a series of Facebook posts, Mitra argued that responsibility should not rest solely with one individual.

“Why blame Swarup alone?” she wrote. “Blame the system that allows such people to emerge while others remain silent in the face of wrongdoing. Arrest one person and another will take his place. The real question is who enabled him and benefited from his influence.”

Reflecting on her own experiences, the actor said she had not forgotten the backlash she faced for previously speaking out about Biswas.

“No one becomes a figure like Swarup overnight. The system creates him,” she wrote. “I still remember how people turned against me for making a single comment about him. Today, I wonder whether those same people are saddened or pleased by the news of his arrest.”

Mitra stressed that lasting change would require accountability rather than celebration over a single arrest.

“The answer lies in accountability,” she wrote. “Only then can we prevent the system from producing more people like him.”

In a separate statement, Mitra claimed she had been sidelined from the industry for a decade.

“I was effectively banned for the last ten years by the ruling establishment and by those who wield influence in the industry,” she wrote, adding that she no longer wished to give interviews on the matter.

The actor also urged media outlets to refrain from seeking further comment, saying she had already expressed her views publicly.

According to police, Biswas was arrested by officers from New Alipore Police Station after a written complaint was filed by a makeup artist from Kolkata’s Regent Park area.

The complainant alleged that she had been out of work for nearly two years and was asked to pay money when seeking employment opportunities. She further claimed that she was subjected to threats after refusing to meet the demand.

“We received a written complaint alleging extortion and criminal intimidation,” a senior police officer told Indian media. “Based on the allegations and our preliminary inquiry, Swarup Biswas was arrested. The investigation is continuing.”

The arrest has triggered fresh debate within the film industry, with several technicians and industry workers publicly alleging a culture of intimidation, favouritism and abuse of power within parts of the sector.