Intolerant Bengali film industry? Locket Chaterjee says she stopped receiving film offers after joining BJP

 Film actor turned BJP leader Locket Chatterjee alleged that she was getting less number of offers as the Bengali film industry, popularly known as Tollywood, has become thoroughly politicised. "At one point of time I had done a lot of works (films). (Later) I decided to work for the people and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party. The number my films, my shows were much less now. Our industry has been thoroughly politicised over the past few years," Locket told PTI. The trained dancer who started her acting career in television said she had been anticipated that this would happen as the industry has been painted with political colour.

"It was not so a few years back. Pure friendship between individuals is on the wane. I am hurt but not surprised over the developments," said Locket whose upcoming 'Hothat Ekdin' (On a sudden day) is slated for release soon. But, she said, it is a satisfaction that people are coming to her with their problems as "I am in the party not with the tag of a celebrity".

"You cannot fool people by waving to them from stage and bank on your heroine image to win their faith. I had been sent to different places by my party. As politics has become my passion while acting is my profession," said the actress. Locket, who had acted in around 70 films till 2014-15, said this identity is more important than anything else and her party has been fully supportive to her acting career.

"Despite decline in my number of films, I will continue to play my assigned role in BJP which gave me the support and space," she said. Locket was part of the intellectual-Tollywood brigade, most of whom had joined Trinamool after it swept to power in West Bengal in 2011. She was inducted into the state women's panel as a member in 2014. Locket had joined BJP after quitting the Trinamool Congress on February, 2015. She had also stepped down from the state women's panel around the same time.