As prakash karat holds a sword over the Government on the Indo-US nuclear deal, West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee has opened his state’s doors to what many in his party call one of the worst examples of American imperialism and capitalism: Hollywood.

Last week, even as the CPM West Bengal machinery was busy preparing for a crucial politburo meeting on the nuclear deal, Bhattacharjee was talking to a visiting US trade delegation from Los Angeles County, home to Hollywood, to consider investment in his state’s entertainment sector. The delegation was here from September 24 to 26.

It was just last year that CPM general secretary Karat had convinced Bhattacharjee not to allow US entertainment major Warner Bros to set up multiplexes in Kolkata. The Delhi University elections were around the corner, and it was said that the party was afraid the move would boomerang on its candidates.

Subsequently, Warner had set up a chain of multiplexes in Ho Chi Minh City in Communist-run Vietnam, following which Bhattacharjee had shot off a letter to Karat.

This time round, the Chief Minister has communicated his desire to have companies from Los Angeles come and invest in Tollywood, the Tollygunj-centred home of Bengal’s film industry.

Vance Baugham, president of the World Trade Centre Association, Long Beach city, Los Angeles, said: “The Chief Minister has told us that he would be sending a list of the studios in the city, and the kind of infrastructure that is required. We are going to go back and engage the creative and business community back home and tell them of the prospects of investing in Tollywood.”

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