Actor Saswata Chatterjee, who will next be seen in Vivek Agnihotri's The Bengal Files, has distanced himself from the film's ongoing controversy. AMid claims that the makers have 'distorted' history, the actor stated in an interview that he is not a 'historian' and that he decided to be a part of the film because he liked his role.
Saswata says he has got nothing to do with the controversy
During an interview with The Wall, Saswata also clarified that he was not aware of the film's title change. For those unversed, The Bengal Files was earlier titled Delhi Files.
Reacting to the controversy, the actor said, "I am just an actor. I liked a character and I played it. I am not a historian to think about what history says and this is distorting history. It's not my job. If those whose job it is feel that Bengal is being belittled, then they can go to court with the information. There is no point is just making noise."
When asked about the possibility of The Bengal Files not releasing in West Bengal, the actor said, "I don't know. Let me tell you this. Nowadays, it's a trend, the whole story won't be told to anyone. You only get to know your track, your character. And when I was told about the role, I found the character to be amazing. It's a villain's character and very few people get such characters to play."
Saswata on film's title change
Saswata added during the interview that the film was Delhi Files and after the shooting was completed, he came to know that it was changed to The Bengal Files.
His remarks came just two days after the authorities in Kolkata cancelled the film's trailer launch, prompting Vivek Agnihotri to lash out at the Mamata Banerjee-led government, branding them "fascists." The team of The Bengal Files has also been hit with multiple FIRs in West Bengal for allegedly portraying the state in a negative light.
On August 16, the trailer launch event of the controversial movie was scheduled at a five-star hotel in Kolkata which was allegedly stopped by the police. Later, addressing the media, Agnihotri said that the launch was stopped due to the "person who is at the top of the administration in Bengal."
Without naming anyone, he hinted towards the ruling party of the state over the hindrance.
About The Bengal Files
The film is set against the blood-soaked backdrop of West Bengal's violent political past. The Bengal Files presents a narrative drawn from real incidents and testimonies, focusing on accounts of violence in Bengal that, as the film suggests, have not been widely discussed in mainstream discourse.
Set against visuals of conflict and silence, the film attempts to explore themes of communal tension, political narratives, and historical memory.
The Bengal Files is written and directed by Agnihotri and produced by Abhishek Agarwal, Pallavi Joshi and Agnihotri. It stars Mithun Chakraborty, Pallavi Joshi, Anupam Kher, Simratt Kaur and Darshan Kumarr. It is a part of Vivek’s Files trilogy that includes The Kashmir Files and The Tashkent Files.
The film is set to hit the big screens on September 5, 2025.
