'The Bengal Files' in Spotlight: Trailer Launch Banned, Director Cries 'Fascism'

Kolkata (The Uttam Hindu): Bollywood's famous director Vivek Agnihotri's upcoming film 'The Bengal Files' has been surrounded by a big controversy even before its release. The trailer launch event of the film was to be held in a five star hotel in Kolkata on Saturday, which was stopped by the police. Vivek Agnihotri has termed this action as dictatorship and fascism and has raised serious questions on the law and order of West Bengal.

After the incident, Vivek Agnihotri alleged, "If this is not dictatorship/fascism then what is it? I just came to know that some people came here and cut all the wires. I don't know on whose orders this is happening." He said that even the hotel manager is not able to tell why the program is not being allowed to continue. Agnihotri further said, "Law and order has failed in your state. That is why everyone is supporting 'The Bengal Files'." The policemen present at the spot refused to comment on the issue.

Meanwhile, the film's actress and producer Pallavi Joshi also reacted sharply to the incident. She said, "Is there freedom of expression in this state? As a filmmaker and actor we are not allowed to show what we have created. What are they feeling threatened about? This did not happen even in Kashmir. Can we conclude that the situation in Kashmir is better than Bengal?" She said that what is happening in Bengal today is the reason why films like 'The Bengal Files' become important.

This is not the first time the film's schedule has been disrupted. On Friday itself, Vivek Agnihotri had posted a video on his 'X' account claiming that a major movie theatre chain had cancelled the trailer launch event of his film due to political pressure.

Let us tell you that 'The Bengal Files' depicts the story of communal violence in undivided Bengal in the 1940s, especially the Calcutta riots of 1946. The film is going to be released in theaters on September 5.