In the so-called “intellectual capital” of India, Mamata Banerjee’s government has once again displayed its contempt for free speech and democracy. The trailer launch of The Bengal Files a film exposing the brutal Hindu genocide and forgotten chapters of Bengal’s bloody past was forcibly stopped in Kolkata. Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri has slammed this brazen censorship, calling it “total dictatorship.” While Prime Minister Modi celebrates India’s courage and truth through cinema and history, Mamata’s Bengal has sunk into silencing voices that dare to expose uncomfortable truths. Bengal deserves freedom, not fear. The Bengal Files is not propaganda it is history, and it must be told.
Police and Political Pressure Derail Trailer Launch
The trailer of The Bengal Files was scheduled to be launched at Kolkata’s Quest Mall in PVR INOX multiplex. But as political pressure mounted, multiplexes backed out, refusing to screen the film despite earlier commitments. The team then shifted the event to ITC Royal Bengal, but the nightmare repeated itself. Kolkata Police reportedly halted the launch midway, claiming “orders from above,” even as the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) had cleared the trailer.
Actor Pallavi Joshi expressed her anger, saying she “absolutely did not like the way” the film was stopped. Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri minced no words, accusing the West Bengal government of behaving like “cowards and dictators,” reminding citizens that free expression is enshrined in the Indian Constitution, but seemingly denied in Bengal.
Vivek Agnihotri Hits Back: ‘Two Constitutions in Bengal’
Slamming the ruling TMC, Agnihotri declared, “There is a word in English called ‘dictator’, and they are the most cowardly people in the world. When I announced The Bengal Files, the Chief Minister herself said it was propaganda and she would not allow it here. This is illegal. Are we running two Constitutions in India—one for the country, and one for West Bengal?”
The director highlighted how even private multiplexes admitted that “political pressure” was the reason behind the refusal to screen the film. “They told us clearly that if they went ahead, it would create turmoil,” he revealed.
This pattern, Agnihotri stressed, is proof that Bengal is no longer a land of free ideas but a place where truth is silenced by state machinery.
BJP Slams Mamata’s ‘Suppression of Free Expression’
Amit Malviya, BJP IT Cell head, lashed out at the Mamata Banerjee government on X (formerly Twitter). He wrote:
“West Bengal sinks deeper. At ITC Royal Bengal, the press conference of @vivekagnihotri was forcibly halted—hotel staff claiming ‘orders from above’ despite all approvals being in place. As the trailer of CBFC-approved #TheBengalFiles played, managers stormed in and pulled the plug, cutting wires mid-way. This is the state of free expression in Mamata’s Bengal.”
The incident has sparked outrage across the country, with many questioning whether West Bengal still respects constitutional freedoms.
The Film TMC Doesn’t Want You to See
The Bengal Files explores the horrific communal violence in undivided Bengal during the 1940s, shedding light on events like the 1946 Direct Action Day and the Noakhali riots—atrocities that have long been whitewashed or ignored in mainstream history.
The trailer itself delivers a powerful message. It opens with the line: “Yeh Pachim Bangal hai, yaha do constitution chalta hai, ek Hinduao ka, ek Musalmanon ka (This is West Bengal, here there are two constitutions—one for Hindus and one for Muslims).” Another chilling dialogue proclaims, “Sirf Zameen ka tukda nahi, Bharat ka lighthouse hai Bangal (This is not just about land, Bengal is the lighthouse of Bharat).”
The cast features stalwarts like Anupam Kher, Mithun Chakraborty, Pallavi Joshi, Saswata Chatterjee, and Sourav Das. The film is part of Agnihotri’s acclaimed Files Trilogy, which earlier brought The Kashmir Files and The Tashkent Files.
Agnihotri has described this film as a “wake-up call” and warned: “If Kashmir hurt you, Bengal will haunt you.”
Nationwide Support and Emotional Reactions
Despite Mamata Banerjee’s government trying to suppress it, the trailer has already struck a deep chord with people across India. Viewers online expressed gratitude to Agnihotri for daring to bring this dark and painful history to light.
One viewer from Tripura wrote: “I got tears in my eyes the moment I saw the trailer. Thank you, Vivek Agnihotri, for making this film.” Another comment declared: “Bengal Files is not just for Bengalis, but for the entire nation.”
The response makes it clear: Indians are ready to face history, however bitter it may be.
Bengal Deserves Truth, Not Censorship
The halting of The Bengal Files trailer in Kolkata is not just an attack on a film—it is an attack on democracy itself. Mamata Banerjee’s government has once again proven that dissent and uncomfortable truths have no place in her Bengal. But history cannot be erased by pulling plugs or cutting wires.
Films like The Bengal Files are essential to remind us of forgotten genocides and warn us of repeating past mistakes. Bengal deserves to confront its truth, not be suffocated under political censorship. Agnihotri has promised to fight this battle, and so must every Indian who values freedom.