The Bengal Files: Trailer Launch Halted Amid Political Controversy
The Bengal Files is an upcoming Indian Hindi-language political drama film directed by Vivek Agnihotri. It is the third and final film in Agnihotri’s “Files” trilogy, following The Tashkent Files (2019) and The Kashmir Files (2022). The film is based on the 1946 Calcutta riots.
Story and Background
The film highlights the communal violence that took place in undivided Bengal during the 1940s, including incidents such as the Direct Action Day (1946) and the Noakhali riots (1946). Agnihotri emphasized his belief that “India’s destiny was written in Delhi, not in Bengal”, for which he also named another project “The Delhi Files.”
Release Date: September 5, 2025
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Cast
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The Bengal Files features:
- Mithun Chakraborty
- Anupam Kher
- Puneet Issar
- Govind Namdev
- Babbu Maan
- Pallavi Joshi and others
Agnihotri posted on his X handle:
“With great sadness, I want to inform you: Today, West Bengal Police, under the orders of ‘top authorities,’ illegally stopped the trailer of #TheBengalFiles. First theatres, now even a private hotel. Who is afraid of the truth of Hindu genocide? And why? In the land of Tagore and Vivekananda, democracy is dead.”
Political Reactions
- TMC’s Allegation: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) claimed that the film is politically motivated. Party leader Kunal Ghosh said, “Why has he not made a film called ‘Gujarat Files,’ ‘Uttar Pradesh Files,’ or ‘Manipur Files’? What he is doing is a drama in the interest of the BJP.”
- BJP’s Support: On the other hand, BJP leaders came out in support of the filmmaker. Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar stated, “The trailer launch was abruptly canceled, and a theatre chain openly admitted that they acted under political pressure. Not discouraged, when he and his team attempted to hold the launch at a private hotel, even that was shamelessly sabotaged!”
