‘The Bengal Files’ to Finally Screen in Kolkata After Unofficial Ban, First Private Viewing Set for September 13
Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri’s bold take on a forgotten chapter of history, The Bengal Files, is set to make its Kolkata debut this weekend — but only behind closed doors. The much-discussed film will be screened in the city through an exclusive, invite-only event, adding to the growing buzz around its controversial release.
Praised for shedding light on an overlooked historical narrative, 'The Bengal Files' has received recognition across India. The film features a stellar cast including Mithun Chakraborty, Pallavi Joshi, Anupam Kher, and Darshan Kumar. Its absence from mainstream West Bengal theatres has only amplified anticipation for the Kolkata premiere.
Addressing the controversy surrounding the film’s non-screening in the state, Agnihotri said, “We opened advanced booking and the theatres were finalised. I came to know through my distributors that theatres representing different communities in Bengal chose not to screen it due to fears of political unrest. It will create history, but this is what I’ve been told.”
Written by Agnihotri and produced by Abhishek Agarwal and Pallavi Joshi, 'The Bengal Files' is presented by Tej Narayan Agarwal and I Am Buddha Productions. The film continues the director’s exploration of historical truths, following his earlier works, 'The Kashmir Files' and 'The Tashkent Files'.