- Veteran actor Mithun Chakraborty appointed cabinet-rank advisor in Bengal.
- He will advise the Information & Cultural Affairs Department.
- CM Adhikari signaled this to strengthen film infrastructure.
- His extensive film career and BJP campaigning are noted.
Veteran actor and BJP leader Mithun Chakraborty has taken on a new formal role in West Bengal, with the state government appointing him as an advisor to its Information and Cultural Affairs Department with the rank of a Cabinet Minister. The appointment, announced through a government notification, has immediate effect and will continue until further orders. The move gives the veteran actor an official position in the state’s cultural administration after decades of association with Bengali and Hindi cinema.
Cabinet Rank For Mithun
The Personnel and Administrative Reforms Department issued the notification appointing Chakraborty as an advisor to the West Bengal government. The order stated that the appointment was made in the public interest and accorded him the status and privileges attached to the rank of a Cabinet Minister.
The Information and Cultural Affairs Department is headed by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. Chakraborty’s precise responsibilities are expected to be defined as he takes up the advisory assignment, with the role coming against the backdrop of plans to strengthen the state’s film and cultural infrastructure.
Adhikari Had Announced Move
The appointment had been signalled earlier by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari during an event associated with the centenary celebrations of Bengali cinema icon Uttam Kumar.
Adhikari had announced that Chakraborty would be brought into the government’s cultural framework, with the veteran actor’s contribution to the film industry and his longstanding connection with Bengal cited as factors behind the decision.
The state government has also been focusing on film-related infrastructure. The foundation stone for the Uttam Kumar Film Centre in New Town was recently laid, as the administration seeks to develop facilities for film production and related activities.
Mithun’s BJP Journey
Chakraborty’s new government position comes after a prominent political journey in Bengal.
He entered electoral politics as a Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member in 2014 and resigned from the Upper House in 2016. He later joined the BJP in March 2021 and became one of the party’s recognisable campaign faces in West Bengal.
He campaigned for the BJP during the 2021 Assembly election and subsequently remained active during the 2024 Lok Sabha election campaign and the 2026 West Bengal Assembly election. The BJP formed the government in the state after the 2026 polls, with Adhikari becoming Chief Minister.
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Focus On Film Sector
Chakraborty’s appointment comes at a time when the state government has outlined plans involving Bengal’s film and cultural ecosystem.
His experience as an actor and filmmaker is expected to be relevant to discussions surrounding the state’s cinema infrastructure and cultural initiatives. Reports have also highlighted his involvement in discussions on measures aimed at encouraging film productions in Bengal.
For Chakraborty, the new assignment marks a shift from his role as a BJP campaigner and public figure to a formal advisory position within the state administration.
The veteran actor, who has built a career spanning more than five decades, remains a major figure in Bengali cinema while also having an extensive body of work in Hindi films. His new role places that industry experience within the government’s Information and Cultural Affairs framework.
