Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri has alleged that political pressure led to the abrupt cancellation of the trailer launch event for his upcoming film, The Bengal Files, midway through the proceedings on Saturday in Kolkata. The event was being held at the ITC Royal Bengal Hotel and was reportedly halted by the venue authorities during the launch itself. According to Agnihotri, this took place despite the organisers having secured all necessary permissions and written confirmations in advance. This comes a day after filmmaker claimed that a previously planned launch at a Kolkata cinema hall had also been cancelled before the scheduled date.
"It has happened in front of you, camera captured, the trailer launch of CBFC approved movie was stopped, this is anarchy, dictatorship,” said the filmmaker after the screening was allegedly stopped by the hotel authorities.
Agnihotri further alleged that police presence at the hotel was part of a broader strategy to prevent the screening of his film’s trailer. “Police had come so that we could not show the movie. Police are being used in Bengal because of some people’s political ambitions. The film talks about demographic change, and they don’t want it to be shown because the state itself empowers such demographic changes. I cannot be silenced,” he added.
The filmmaker said he had been informed that the venue had cut off all communication lines, making it impossible to proceed with the event. “I’ve just been informed that all the lines have been cut. And this is happening in a private hotel. I don’t know who is doing this, or under whose orders,” Agnihotri stated.
“All Bengalis would feel proud after watching The Bengal Files. So who are these people who don’t want the world to know about this film?” he questioned. He claimed that hotel managers shut down the programme without offering a proper explanation. “If this isn’t dictatorship and fascism, then I honestly don’t know what is. The law and order situation in this state has completely collapsed,” he said. “Since this morning, there’s been a massive police presence at the hotel. Are we criminals? Is this how a filmmaker is silenced in the land of Satyajit Ray?” said Vivek Agnihotri.
Earlier, ‘The Bengal Files’ director had alleged that the initial trailer launch had been planned at a Kolkata cinema hall, which also backed out just a day before the event. “We had all the permissions and written correspondence for the launch. So our entire team came to Kolkata, but now we have come to know that the event has been cancelled,” he said.
According to the filmmaker, the theatre chain unofficially cited “political pressure” as the reason, saying they wanted to avoid any controversy. He called the situation “a sad commentary on our democracy.” “Just landed in Kolkata and learnt that the venue for the trailer launch of #TheBengalFiles is cancelled. Who wants to suppress our voice? And why? But I can’t be silenced. Because truth can’t be silenced. Trailer will be launched in Kolkata. Please share this video and support our free speech.”
The Bengal Files is written and directed by Vivek Agnihotri and produced by Abhishek Agarwal, Pallavi Joshi, and Agnihotri himself. The film stars Mithun Chakraborty, Anupam Kher, Darshan Kumar, and Pallavi Joshi in lead roles. The story is based on the events surrounding Direct Action Day, and the film is set to release in cinemas across India on 5th September 2025.
