Vivek Agnihotri’s The Bengal Files’ banned Kolkata screening, political conflict and special event. Know more
Ban and release conflict
Vivek Agnihotri‘s The Bengal Files, which released across India on September 5, was blocked from theatres in Bengal for the past week.
Some theatre owners in the state decided to shut down shows before they could see the film’s content.
Agnihotri had told the media that distributors had learnt that theatres were cancelling projections, fearing “political upheaval”.
Private screening announced
In such a scenario, there is a private, invitation-only show at the National Library’s Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Bhasha Bhavan on September 13.
The event was confirmed by former MP Swapan Dasgupta through a Facebook post.
The screening, which will begin at 4 pm, will be for select guests only.
Interesting truth behind the controversy
The state whose story The Bengal Files tells has been adamant on ignoring the story.
The film depicts the Hindu massacre during Direct Action Day, the tragedies of Noakhali and the pain of Partition.
This truth has been said to have been suppressed for many years, but Agnihotri fueled controversies by bringing it to the big screen.
Pallavi Joshi’s plea
Actress-producer Pallavi Joshi, who herself was in both the previous films of this trilogy, The Tashkent Files and The Kashmir Files, wrote an open letter to President Droupadi Murmu.
She wrote that this last episode narrates suppressed truths, but the “attack on truth” continues in Bengal.
Joshi urged for protection and wrote that she wants to know with respect to how the rights of artists and audiences will be protected.
Importance of Files Trilogy
The Bengal Files is the last part of this trilogy. While 2019’s The Tashkent Files brought out the shock-breaking aspects of history, 2022’s The Kashmir Files refreshed the wounds of partition.
Now Agnihotri has exposed the illuminating aspects of Bengal’s history.
The trio kick-started a debate on history-based politics and audiences in India.
Cast and crew
The film has a big cast of Mithun Chakraborty, Saswata Chatterjee, Anupam Kher, Priyanshu Chatterjee, Darshan Kumar and Pallavi Joshi.
The Kolkata screening will see the ensemble stand in front of their home audience—even if not many theatres are open.
Symbolic victory
The film team has high hopes for the private shows.
Though there may not be a restricted theatrical release in Bengal, the invitation-only event showed that the state capital will also get a tribute to the story.
It will be clear only after the Kolkata screening when the film will get a full decentralised theatrical release.
The journey ahead
It remains to be seen what history Agnihotri brings to the screen after The Bengal Files.
For now, the “special” evening in Kolkata proved that truth cannot be suppressed—wherever there is a platform, there will be discussion.
