Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri claimed that the trailer launch of his upcoming film The Bengal Files was halted in Kolkata on Saturday (August 16) after a ruckus broke out. He alleged that the event was stopped due to "political pressure," calling it an act of "anarchy and dictatorship," despite the film being CBFC-approved. Agnihotri further accused the police of being deployed to stop the screening and "used" for political motives.
'Political Pressure' Behind Trailer Halt, Says Vivek Agnihotri
Vivek, visibly angered, said he would not be silenced. Speaking to PTI, he shared, "It has happened in front of you, camera captured, the trailer launch of CBFC approved movie was stopped, this is an anarchy, dictatorship... Police had come so that we could not show the movie, police are being used in Bengal because of some people's political ambitions. The film talks about demography change, they don't want to show because the state itself empowers demography change. I cannot be silenced..."
Chaos erupted during the trailer launch, as seen in videos where Agnihotri was also engaged in a heated exchange with a police officer.
The launch was reportedly halted twice amid chaos, with electrical wires inside the hotel allegedly cut to disrupt the screening.
'What Is The Threat They Are Feeling?' Pallavi Joshi
Pallavi Joshi, who stars in The Bengal Files and is Agnihotri’s wife, said she "absolutely did not like the way" the film was stopped, questioning whether freedom of expression exists.
"As filmmakers and actors, we are not able to screen what we have made. What is the threat they are feeling? Such a thing did not happen even in Kashmir. Can we derive that the situation in Kashmir is better than in Bengal? See what is happening in Bengal today. And this is why films like 'The Bengal Files' are important. I want every person in India to watch this film to know the truth about Bengal. It is the state's responsibility to give respect to artists," said Pallavi.
About The Bengal Files
The film is set against the blood-soaked backdrop of West Bengal's violent political past.
Starring Anupam Kher, Pallavi Joshi, Saswata Chatterjee, and Mithun Chakraborty, this film is set to release on September 5, 2025.
