Vivek Agnihotri cries dictatorship as Kolkata blocks The Bengal Files trailer launch
He added, 'I have just been informed that all the wires have been cut. Who is giving these instructions, and why, I don't know. Multiple FIRs have already been filed against us. This is a private hotel — how can they stop us here when we have the necessary permission? If this is not dictatorship, then what is? If this is not fascism, then what is? Look at the number of policemen present, as if we are criminals.'Watch the video here: Meanwhile, a senior Kolkata Police official told India Today, 'Obtaining an amusement licence is mandatory for hosting this kind of screening event. However, the organisers had not secured the required licence from the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, nor did they inform the local police in advance. We learnt about the event through other sources. When asked, the organisers were unable to produce the necessary licence, so we had to intervene.'Despite the disruption, the trailer was eventually launched at the hotel. Sharing it online, Agnihotri wrote, 'If Kashmir hurt you, Bengal will haunt you (sic).' The trailer features hard-hitting lines such as, 'Yeh Paschim Bangal hai, yaha do constitution chalta hai, ek Hinduao ka, ek Musalmanon ka,' and 'Sirf zameen ka tukda nahi, Bharat ka lighthouse hai Bangal.''The Bengal Files' revisits West Bengal's turbulent political history, exploring the Hindu genocide and communal violence through real testimonies and historical accounts. It examines the events of Direct Action Day and sheds light on decades of ideological manipulation and systemic neglect.Watch the trailer here: This is not the first time Agnihotri has faced obstacles for the film. On Independence Day, he learnt that the trailer launch had been cancelled by the theatre chain. Expressing disappointment in another video, he remarked, 'We had all the permissions in writing. Our entire team came to Kolkata, but now we learn the event has been cancelled. This is very sad. Is there one Constitution for India and another for West Bengal?'advertisementHe further alleged attempts to 'suppress' his voice but vowed not to be silenced. '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,' he wrote.Watch the clip here: Ahead of the launch, Agnihotri visited Kalighat Temple to seek blessings for the project. 'With Maa's blessings, no one can stop this film,' he said. The film stars National Award-winner Pallavi Joshi, Anupam Kher, Mithun Chakraborty, Anupam Kher, and Darshan Kumaar in key roles.Directed by Agnihotri and produced by Abhishek Agarwal and Pallavi Joshi, 'The Bengal Files' is slated for release on September 5, 2025.- EndsMust Watch
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