Parents of RG Kar victim allow film based on 2024 Kolkata case

The parents of a young doctor who was allegedly raped and murdered at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College in August 2024 have given formal consent for a film based on the case, nearly two months after publicly opposing the project.

A consent letter signed by the parents in mid-December and accessed by Hindustan Times (HT) gives “full and unconditional consent” for the making of the film, titled Tillotoma. The document is dated August 15, 2025. According to the filmmaker, that date reflects when a draft of the consent was first shared with the family.

In the letter, the parents state they have “no objections for making of this film” and authorise the producers to proceed with its execution and presentation.

Also Read | 22-year-old Telangana student dies trying to escape apartment fire in Germany

When contacted by HT, the victim’s father said the family agreed to give consent because the film was likely to be made regardless, even without using his daughter’s name. “I just want justice for my daughter,” he said, adding that he has written to several Union ministers and the Prime Minister’s Office seeking a speedy trial but has not received a response.

Legal questions over naming the victim

Following public outrage and allegations of lapses by the Kolkata Police, the investigation into the case was transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), where it remains pending. The victim’s father alleged that the West Bengal government and the state police mishandled the probe and engaged in witness tampering.

Director Ujjwal Chatterjee told HT that the delay in receiving consent pushed the project back by nearly two months. He said the film has signed Jaya Prada and Mithun Chakraborty for key roles, with Payal Chatterjee cast as the victim. He also said the filmmakers intend to use the real names of those involved in the case.

Legal experts, however, cautioned that consent does not automatically permit public disclosure of a sexual offence victim’s identity. Advocate Eesha Bakshi, who practises in the Supreme Court, told HT that Section 72 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, shaped by Supreme Court rulings and drawn from Section 228A of the Indian Penal Code, makes anonymity mandatory.

She said that even where a victim is deceased, disclosure by next of kin is allowed only to recognised welfare institutions, and not to the media or the general public.

Also Read | Four arrested on charges of beating youth to death during Panihati festival

The film is being produced by Ujjwal Chatterjee Creations and will be shot in New Delhi. The director cited political sensitivity in West Bengal as the reason for moving production out of Kolkata.

The consent letter states that the film “will be presented by Prasar Bharati”. Chatterjee said that discussions are ongoing and formal confirmation is still awaited. Officials at Prasar Bharati did not respond to queries. Its CEO, Gaurav Dwivedi, had earlier told HT that the proposal was under evaluation.

The letter also records that there has been no monetary exchange between the filmmaker and the parents.