Controversy Surrounds Cancellation of 'The Bengal Files' Trailer Launch in Kolkata

The trailer launch event for Vivek Agnihotri's film 'The Bengal Files' faced cancellation due to disruptions in Kolkata. Opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari accused the West Bengal government of suppressing voices and criticized the state police. The film highlights historical communal violence in Bengal in the 1940s.

The trailer launch event for 'The Bengal Files', a film by filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri, was unexpectedly canceled in Kolkata, sparking controversy. West Bengal's Leader of Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, accused the state government of attempting to silence voices that aim to highlight Partition-era events, calling the police 'extremist' and 'gunda'.

Adhikari criticized Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's observance of Khela Hobe Diwas, linking it to past communal violence, specifically the 1946 Direct Action Day, claiming it amounts to a 'Muslim League 2 government'. His remarks came alongside disruption claims at the film's trailer launch event by actor Pallavi Joshi, who questioned free expression in the state.

Agnihotri hinted at political pressure as the reason behind the event’s disruption. He suggested the existence of a parallel constitution in India owing to political interference in creative freedom, which he claims also affected the planned theatre launches for 'The Bengal Files', a film set to release on September 5 featuring notable actors including Mithun Chakraborty and Anupam Kher.