Filmmaker Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri has said he will turn to the courts if his upcoming film The Bengal Files is prevented from releasing in West Bengal.
The director addressed the media on Monday, days after the trailer launch in Kolkata ran into hurdles. According to Agnihotri, the event was first called off by a multiplex and later shifted to a hotel where power was abruptly cut off. He alleged that police officials even questioned whether the organisers had the necessary permissions.
Vivek Agnihotri to take legal route for The Bengal Files
“We will go by the Constitution. We will go legally. If they stop us, we will take the legal course. What can we do? We are common citizens like you… We will pray that sanity prevails and the state government does not do it (stop the release),” Agnihotri was quoted as saying by PTI.
Set against the backdrop of the Calcutta riots of August 16, 1946—sparked after the All-India Muslim League’s call for Direct Action Day—the film is scheduled to hit theatres on September 5.
“…This is an Indian film. I am telling you the truth,” the director stressed.
Vivek Agnihotri on controversy around The Bengal Files
Agnihotri, who previously helmed The Kashmir Files and The Tashkent Files, also addressed the controversy surrounding a complaint filed by Santanu Mukherjee, grandson of Gopal Chandra Mukherjee—considered a key figure in resisting mob violence during the riots. Santanu has alleged that the film portrays his grandfather in a negative light.
Clarifying his stance, Agnihotri said, “I will not go into his history. Watch Santanu’s interview. I can give you all the links. There is an interview of Gopal Mukherjee on BBC. In that interview, what he has said, we have only shown that much. I have nothing to do with Gopal Mukherjee’s life, politics. He was a hero and I have shown him as a hero.”
He further added, “I respect Gopal Mukherjee a lot. His grandsons work with TMC. There is a compulsion there… They have done it legally. We are giving a legal answer to that.”
On The Bengal Files
Positioning The Bengal Files as part of his larger cinematic vision, Agnihotri said, “Our purpose is very clear. I make films on Hindu civilization. That is why I make films on Hindu history. I do not consider myself capable of making films on Islamic history or Christian history,” while citing Mani Ratnam’s Roja and Vishal Bhardwaj’s Haider as examples of films exploring Islamic history.
The filmmaker revealed that the Central Board of Film Certification cleared the film without cuts after review by both examining and revising committees. “This film was made with a lot of responsibility and sincerity. No one can object to this. Bengalis will be proud of this film,” he asserted.
The Bengal Files features an ensemble cast including Mithun Chakraborty, Saswata Chatterjee, Anupam Kher, Pallavi Joshi, Priyanshu Chatterjee, and Darshan Kumar.
