Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri’s upcoming film The Bengal Files has stirred controversy after its official trailer launch event in Kolkata was suddenly called off. The trailer was scheduled to be unveiled on August 16, 2025, but the event was stopped by local authorities, prompting sharp criticism from the director.
The Bengal Files Trailer launch controversy sparks debate over freedom of expression
Speaking to the media, Agnihotri—known for The Kashmir Files and The Tashkent Files—expressed his disappointment and condemned the incident as “anarchy and dictatorship.” He claimed that the trailer of the CBFC-approved film was stopped by the police due to “political ambitions” of certain groups.
“The police came so that we could not show the trailer. This is being done because of the political motives of a few people,” Agnihotri said, adding that the film deals with the issue of “demography change,” which may have led to the disruption.
Actress Pallavi Joshi also voiced her concern, questioning whether freedom of expression still exists in the state. She remarked that even in Kashmir, such an incident never happened, and that this situation shows why The Bengal Files is important for the public to watch.
“The state must respect artists. If the screening of a film is stopped like this, what message is being sent to the public?” Joshi asked, urging people across India to watch the film and know the truth about Bengal’s past.
The Bengal Files features Mithun Chakraborty, Anupam Kher, Pallavi Joshi, Darshan Kumaar and Simratt Kaur in important roles. The film is produced by Abhishek Agarwal, Pallavi Joshi and Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri under Abhishek Agarwal Arts and I Am Buddha Productions.
For those who are unfamiliar, the controversial Hindi-language film focuses on the communal violence in undivided Bengal during the 1940s. According to the film’s producers, The Bengal Files is scheduled to hit theatres on September 5, 2025—coinciding with Teachers’ Day.
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