There is truth and pain in Anupam Kher’s reaction; know why he said these shocking things?
Beginning
Vivek Agnihotri’s new film, The Bengal Files, has created a stir since it was released.
This 204-minute-long political drama, which hit theaters on 5 September 2025, is the third part of the director’s Files Trilogy.
From the very first day of release, both the audience and critics gave their reactions, but Anupam Kher’s words created the most stir.
Anupam Kher’s reaction
Anupam Kher said on X (earlier Twitter) that he watched the film with the audience and cast and crew in a hall filled with about 80%.
He wrote that the film was “shocking, saddening, emotionally disturbing and numbing in many places”.
It was clear from his words that the audience was going through magical emotions by feeling the pain and devastation shown on the screen.
Form of Mahatma Gandhi
Anupam Kher has played the role of Mahatma Gandhi in The Bengal Files.
Bringing Gandhiji’s simplicity and humanity on screen is not an easy task, but Kher kept both silence and strength in every emotion with his grip.
Technical strength
Anupam called every department of the film A-Grade – acting, sets, cinematography, background music and costumes.
But he gave the most special praise to “Captain” Vivek Agnihotri.
According to him, be it action or emotional scenes, Agnihotri’s vision made the story come alive.
Important message
Anupam appealed to the fans, “Go and feel after watching.”
He added that such cinema is important because talking about old events helps us understand the pain of today and also gives lessons for the future.
Watched @vivekagnihotri’s #TheBengalFiles in a 80% theatre full of people of all ages! The film is Shocking, Saddening, emotionally Disturbing and at places Numbing too. Audiences were going through a sea of emotions. At places crying for the people who lost everything in those… pic.twitter.com/RGkpHwwKdC
— Anupam Kher (@AnupamPKher) September 9, 2025
Protests and controversies
Theatre owners of West Bengal refused to show the film, which led to an unofficial ban.
Producer-Actress Pallavi Joshi wrote an open letter to President Droupadi Murmu, while IMPPA appealed to PM Narendra Modi to intervene.
Box office hold
The Bengal Files earned ₹7.90 crore in the first four days.
The fifth day collection was around ₹1.30 crore, taking the five-day total to ₹9.20 crore.
These figures are considered to be good despite not being released in West Bengal.
Perspective
The drama is based on Direct Action Day (16 August 1946) and the Noakhali riots.
The film presents it as a genocide and claims that these historical events were ignored for a long time.
What does it teach?
The Bengal Files reminds us that the echoes of the injustice done to South Bengal in history still reverberate today.
It forces us to think about how many painful incidents remain unspoken and whether we should talk about them openly.
In the end
Anupam Kher’s emotional and candid review has made The Bengal Files stand far beyond just a slice of the film.
When cinema can bring history alive, the old fire flaring up in front of the audience’s eyes does not cool down again.
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