Emperor vs Sarat Chandra

Emperor vs Sarat Chandra is an upcoming Bengali-language epic historical drama film written and directed by Srijit Mukherji.^[1] Produced by Pradip Kumar Nandy under the banner of Nandy Movies, it is scheduled for release on 1 May 2026.^[2] It is based on Pather Dabi, a 1926 novel (novella) written by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay.^[3]

On its first announcement, Dag Creative Media and Shree Venkatesh films were its producers. The cast given by Mukherjee was Sohini Sarkar, Abir Chatterjee, Tota Roy Choudhury, Rudranil Ghosh in lead roles. By new rules implemented by the film committee (IMPFA-Federation), Media and SVF dropped out, conflicting release dates of their films. Pradip Kumar Nandy, owner of Nandy Movies, became the producing house. Mimi Chakraborty replaced Sarkar by Nandy Movies and Buddhadev Das replaced Ghosh with prior discussion between Mukherji and Ghosh. Start of the shooting was delayed from November to January. The release date given by Srijit Mukherji is 1 May 2026.

Pather Dabi was published by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay in August 1926, centering the British Raj as its story. In January 1927, the novel was banned by the British colonial government (British Raj) for its revolutionary theme and for openly challenging the government.^[4] Within a week, it sold out all its available copies. In 1938, Chattopadhyay died of liver cancer. The next year in 1939, the ban was lifted by the government.^[5]

• Abir Chatterjee^[4] as Sabyasachi
• Tota Roy Choudhury^[4] as Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay
• Mimi Chakraborty (previously Sohini Sarkar)^[3]
• Buddhadev Das (previously Rudranil Ghosh)
• Divyani Mondal^[4]
• Kanchan Mallick^[4]
• Rick Chattopadhyay (previously Satyam Bhattacharya)^[4]

Srijit Mukherjee announced the film by posting on Twitter on the morning of 31 August 2025. He stated the film to be a period drama set in 1926, the pre-Indian independence era. He said the title of the film to be inspired from the British Indian court case about the bombing in Alipore, Emperor v. Aurobindo Ghosh.^[6] Mukherji said the production to originally begin from November 2025. Among the appearances from the period depicted, Rabindranath Thakur and Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das are to appear.^[7] Mukherji stated the cast to appear in the film on 17 September; he did not reveal the roles of the actors in the first few days.^[8]

Upon the first announcement of the film, Srijit Mukherji said that Tota Roychowdhury, Abir Chatterjee and Sohini Sarkar would be playing the lead roles,^[9] with the production houses Dag Creative Media and Shree Venkatesh Films.^[3][10] With effect on the Tollywood film industry, IMPFA-Federation gave out new rules that a production house will not be able to release two films at the same to avoid conflicting the release dates of films by production houses. Production companies Dag Creative Media and Shree Venkatesh Films have a release date of May for their other separate films.^[11] In November 2025, Nandy Movies replaced Dag Creative Media as a producer. Shree Venkatesh Films left as a production house of the film.^[12]

The new film poster with Nandy Movies was released on 27 November 2025.^[12] Pather Dabi was adapted as a film in 1977, called Sabyasachi, starring Uttam Kumar. During the announcement of Emperor vs Sarat Chandra, Mukhherji's upcoming film Lawho Gouranger Naam Re was being shot, scheduled for release during Christmas.^[13]

Nandy Movies implemented a change in the film cast. Mimi Chakraborty replaced Sohini Sarkar.^[14] After a discussion with Mukherji and Rudranil Ghosh, they agreed to have Buddhadev Das to replace Ghosh. Rick Chattopadhyay replaced Satyam Bhattacharya.^[15] Bhattarcharya acted in the shooting of Vijaynagar'er Hirey. Pre-production work was started in November 2025. Mukherji changed the film's shooting to start from January 2026.^[16] He stated to be four total songs in the film, with two of them being Rabindra Sangeet, one song being by Srijit Mukherji and another song by Sri Jatar.^[17]

In 2025, Srijit Mukherji released the films Shotyi Bole Shotyi Kichhu Nei and Killbill Society.^[18] In accordance with particular styles and relations with his films, he commented "Nothing of the kind is happening. I am basically making a film about the period of writing of Pather Daabi, the Bengali of that time, the events and personalities."^[19] He stated the film to be an "examination of ideology and resistance against oppression." He is to appear as a composer for all of the songs in the film.^[20] He announced the film celebrating the 100th anniversary of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's novel Pather Dabi.^[21] As of 11 January, the shooting has started. According to ETV Bharat, Abir Chatterjee is playing the role of Sabyasachi. He commented on the shooting, "I think this is a very important film. Because it talks about history and the people it talks about are not only our predecessors, they are also legends. [...] I will tell the rest when the shooting is over." Tota Roy Choudhury is playing the role of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay. The other roles by the cast are confirmed and are not given.^[22]

• Emperor vs Sarat Chandra at IMDb 
• Emperor vs Sarat Chandra at Letterboxd (Outdated)