There was almost two years of delay when twin tragedies stuck the project. First the director lost his young son and then Ashutosh Gowrikar's Khelenge Hum Jee Jaan Se based on the same events as Bedabrata's films, was released and proved disastrous.
Thereafter no distributor in India would touch Chittagong. The film was all but lost to the world.
But now two producers Anurag Kashyap and Sunil Bohra have come forward to rescue the troubled project.
Confirming these developments Bedabrata says, "Yes, your information is correct. Mr. Bohra has agreed to release the film, with Anurag Kashyap presenting. I do think that Mr Bohra will do a great job with the release. I'm keeping my fingers crossed on this. "
Bedabrata admits the film is in trouble. "I don't have too many other options. This film has meant a lot to me personally. I hope it gets the release it deserves. "
Regarding the likeness to Gowariker's film and how that has affected the project Bedabrata says, "I am not sure. For me comparisons between the two are very limited.
My film is very different from Khelein..... In the first place, the protagonist of my film was not the protagonist of Ashutosh's film. Mine is not Masterda's story, nor is he the protagonist. My protagonist is a 14 year old boy. It is his struggle, his quest. For me it's not the history that's paramount, his journey is. "
While Gowariker's film was criticized for its morbid ending Bedabrata says his film moved away from the dark area. "My film ends on a victorious note, and in a fashion that is very relevant today, I believe. In fact, where Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Se ends, is the mid-point of my film. I think distributors were worried about Khelein... more than audience. But time will only tell. "
While one version of Chittagong was complete, Bedabrata still went ahead to work on another version.
Says the director, "That's me, the perfectionist. Everything was all finished and ready to go. And then the nervousness set in. It seemed the background score was definitely not in keeping with the mood of the film. So I am re-scoring parts of the film in Los Angeles.
Of course, my sound designer Resul Poookutty was busy with Ra. One. But I wasn't ready either. The final remix is yet to be done. But that's a small thing that would be finished by Resul in the next couple of weeks. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy have done the music. The songs have turned out fabulous. Very different from what they usually do. "