Rush for Kennedy at KIFF: Cinephiles clash with security, cops due to inadequate seats

The 29th Kolkata International Film Festival is in full swing. The weekend saw a massive rush. On Sunday, the crowd management went out of hand and there was a brawl at Nandan between the cinephiles and cops. Due to the limited number of seats, people could not watch a movie. After a long wait in the queue, when they heard that they could not watch it, the angry film buffs created a ruckus. They expressed their displeasure toward the security people on duty there and it turned into a physical clash. Cops were called to control the situation but the people clashed with them, too. 

On Sunday, the crowd was bigger at Nandan and it was a festive mood. The crowd was eager to watch the film Kennedy, directed by Anurag Kashyap, that was to be shown at the 7 pm slot. This Bollywood film was released in May but has not yet been shown in East India. In that sense, the film had its premiere in East India. Anurag Kashyap was also present while screening the film. He did a press conference before the screening and said that he would watch the film with the audience. But the size of the crowd in the queue was three times the hall's capacity, and it was the source of the problem. 

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After the seats were filled, security guards went to shut the door and told the rest of the people that there was no more space. But people demanded that since they had delegation passes, they must watch the film. In the brawl, some people from both sides got hurt. 

KIFF chairperson Raj Chakraborty told Anandabazar Online, “Nandan is crowded every day, as desired. People will naturally want to watch a film like Kennedy and wait for hours in the queue. Naturally, their patience will fail. But we are helpless. If the seats are filled, doors must be closed. The situation is in control now.” 

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On Sunday afternoon, Anjan Dutta’s tribute film to Mrinal Sen, Chalchitra Ekhon, was screened and the doors were shut after the seats were filled. The rest of the people got angry and protested, but the incident did not turn into a physical brawl.