Aug 07, 2026 8:13pm IST
Jeet on Avoiding Clash with Dev Adhikari’s Film And Working in Hindi Projects (EXCLUSIVE)
Bengali superstar and producer Jeet (real name: Jeetendra Madnani) is gearing up for the release of his film, “Keu Bole Biplabi Keu Bole Dakat,” (Some Call Me a Revolutionary, Some Call Me a Robber) which is releasing on August 14. It is based on the life of Bengali revolutionary, Ananta Lal Singh, one of the masterminds of the Chittagong Armoury Raid in 1930. Nationalist films are the flavor of the season and the trailer of “KBBKBD” has got a good response.
A Dream Project
He notes, “Every film is important but this one gave me a chance to play a real-life character who has had such a huge arc in my life. Singh’s life was full of diverse experiences. Real instances from his life have been woven in very nicely in our movie. Viewers will see Singh as a larger-than-life character that makes for great cinema.” The film’s title is derived from the controversial autobiography of Ananta Lal Singh, who is remembered as an archetypal anti-hero in the Indian National Movement.
Discussing the prep for “Keu Bole…,” Jeet tells Variety India, “There are nine different characters in the film. I had to make all of them different in terms of look and body language. This was a great opportunity for me. Actors crave to bring new characters to people. I have done my homework and I hope people like it.”
Jaideep Ahlawat plays Ananta Singh in “Chittagong,” (2012) and Maninder Singh reprised the role in Ashutosh Gowarikar’s “Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey” (2010). Jeet admits to watching the films, but not for reference purposes. “Those movies are about the raid while this movie has a lot more things to say about Singh’s life,” he quips.
Related Stories
No clash with Dev
Initially, Jeet’s “Keu Bole Biplabi Keu Bole Dakat” and Dev Adhikari’s “Bike Ambulance Dada” were supposed to clash on August 14. However, Adhikari’s movie has been pushed to a later date. The two actors are hailed as the mass heroes of Bengali cinema. Over the years, their clashes at the box-office have been legendary. Jeet opines, “I am happy that he shifted his date. There is nothing to talk about. You can always have multiple films coming on the same date. As an actor, be prepared and good with your game. We are confident that we have made a good film.”
These two stars rule over single-screen cinemas, a factor that impacts the overall business of any regional film industry. Jeet reflects, “All actors are dependent on good stories and directors. We just add to that with our presence and performance. Besides that, the eternal cliche holds true, content is king.”
Challenges at play
In terms of revenue, the Bengali film industry lags behind Hindi, Marathi and South Indian films. Touching the ₹50 crore mark is a rarity. Commenting on this, Jeet says, “The Bengali film industry has a huge potential as it is the seventh-largest spoken language in the world. We have not been able to meet that demand. It has a lot to do with the overall geo-political situation. Viewership relates to growth happening in the state in terms of employment, education, security, etc. If these factors are met, people have money to spend on entertainment.”
Beyond Bengali cinema
He also feels that the Bengali film industry has perhaps failed to deliver good, interesting films for the masses. He feels that there is indeed potential to do big box office numbers. In 2023, the Hindi dubbed version of Jeet’s Bengali mafia film, “Chengiz” made ₹1.5 crore.
“I don’t think language is a barrier. Local stories are good. Well-made films matching the current standards in terms of scripts and production values do stand a chance. Stories have that power. You just need the right material,” he adds.
Actors like Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Saswata Chatterjee and Prosenjit have done quite a few Hindi projects of late. Jeet made his Hindi debut with Neeraj Pandey’s web series “Khakee: The Bengal Chapter” (2025) as IPS Arjun Maitra. A fan of “Dhurandhar” maker, Aditya Dhar, Jeet aspires to expand his horizons.
“I am in talks for a few Hindi projects but nothing is finalised. As an actor, I aspire to reach out to maximum people through my work. If I can co-exist in Hindi, Bengali and other film industries, I would love it,” he says.
Comments are moderated. They may be edited for clarity and reprinting in whole or in part in Variety publications.