Emperor vs Sarat Chandra takes audiences back to a significant chapter in Bengal’s literary history, focusing on the British administration’s ban on Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s 1926 novel Pather Dabi. Directed by Srijit Mukherji, the historical drama is scheduled to release on October 15, 2026, during the Durga Puja season.
The filmmaker said the idea for the film emerged in 2021 after he came across letters exchanged between Sarat Chandra and Rabindranath Tagore. Those letters became the starting point for a story exploring the relationship between literature, colonial authority and revolutionary imagination.
Tota Roy Choudhury plays Sarat Chandra, while Abir Chatterjee portrays Sabyasachi Mallick, the fictional revolutionary at the centre of Pather Dabi. Mimi Chakraborty plays Sumitra, while Sanjoy Nag portrays Tagore.
Sabyasachi Mallick and the Revolutionary World
In Pather Dabi, Sabyasachi is depicted as a committed revolutionary who believes British imperialism can only be challenged through direct resistance. His character travels across countries, builds alliances and works towards creating a wider revolutionary movement.
Abir Chatterjee said the character also carries influences of several real-life revolutionaries, including Raj Behari Bose, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Masterda Surya Sen and Dr Jadugopal Mukherjee.
For the actor, portraying Sabyasachi offered an opportunity to pay tribute to revolutionaries associated with India’s freedom movement and highlight the role of Bengal in that history.
Tota Roy Choudhury on Playing Sarat Chandra
For Tota Roy Choudhury, portraying Sarat Chandra presented a different challenge. The actor said the writer’s real life was itself extraordinary, marked by travel, adventure and a willingness to live on his own terms.
The film brings Sarat Chandra and Tagore together while examining the circumstances surrounding the ban on Pather Dabi and the larger relationship between creative expression and political power.
The project also marks Srijit Mukherji’s debut as a composer. Timir Biswas performs the track Shoite Shoite, while Shreya Ghoshal features on Dil Ka Daag. Poet Joy Goswami lends his voice to Tagore’s dialogues.
Emperor vs Sarat Chandra releases on October 15, 2026.
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