Trailer Launch of The Bengal Files Stalled in Kolkata amid Permission Row and Political Furor

Kolkata, August 17, 2025 — The much-anticipated trailer launch of director Vivek Agnihotri’s upcoming film The Bengal Files was disrupted in Kolkata on Saturday, sparking a flurry of controversy over permissions, political motivations, and freedom of expression.

Sudden Halt at Hotel Venue

The event, initially scheduled at a prominent multiplex and later shifted to ITC Royal Bengal, descended into chaos. Agnihotri claims wires at the hotel were deliberately cut, causing technical failure and halting proceedings not once, but twice. He condemned the incident as nothing short of “dictatorship”, lamenting the failure of law and order in the state.

Police Cite No Permission

However, Kolkata Police offered a contrasting view. According to police insiders, Agnihotri had not obtained the required permissions under the West Bengal Cinemas (Regulation) Act, 1954, for a public screening. They urged the filmmaker to present the necessary documents, apparently absent during the event.

Political Counterfire

The loss of the event quickly escalated into a political spectacle. Agnihotri accused the state administration of subduing alternate narratives, pointing to systematic suppression. Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar framed the issue as a threat to democratic expression, playing up fears of historical truths being buried.

Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Kunal Ghosh countered these claims, accusing Agnihotri of being politically motivated—a BJP proxy bent on stirring divisiveness. Ghosh challenged the narrative by asking why the filmmaker didn’t make Gujarat Files or UP Files first, and dismissed Agnihotri’s allegations as attention-seeking drama.

Cast Speaks Out

Actor-producer Pallavi Joshi, co-producer of The Bengal Files, added her perspective. She questioned the inhibitions imposed on filmmakers in West Bengal, saying such a protest had never occurred even in conflict-ridden regions like Kashmir. She emphasized the importance of artistic freedom and criticized the state’s treatment of its artists.

Film’s Context and Impending Release

The Bengal Files is envisioned as the third installment in Vivek Agnihotri’s “Files Trilogy,” which includes The Tashkent Files (2019) and The Kashmir Files (2022). It is based on the 1946 Direct Action Day and communal violence in undivided Bengal, exploring ideological turmoil and historical upheaval. The film’s first part, titled Right to Life, is slated for theatrical release on September 5, 2025—coinciding with Teachers’ Day.

Why This Matters

This incident marks a flashpoint in ongoing debates about censorship, political influence, and creative freedom in India. Agnihotri’s experience opens a broader discussion: should permission norms be clearer or more transparent? Is filmmaking becoming inseparable from politics? And most crucially—how do we safeguard artistic voices in changing political climates?

In Summary

The Bengal Files trailer event in Kolkata ended in disruption and accusations—unfolding controversies over permission, politics, and free speech. Whether framed as administrative oversight, targeted suppression, or political signal, it has intensified attention on the film’s release and its message.