‘Some people came and cut all wires': ‘The Bengal Files' trailer launch disrupted in Kolkata; director Vivek Agnihotri cites failure of law and order in West Bengal
Actor Pallavi Joshi alleged that the trailer launch was not allowed to proceed and stated that such a thing didn't happen even in Kashmir and asked whether the situation in Kashmir is better than in West Bengal.
Speaking on the incident, Pallavi Joshi said, "I absolutely did not like the way my film was stopped. Is there freedom of expression in this state? As filmmakers and actors, we are not able to screen what we have made."
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"What is the threat they are feeling? Such a thing did not happen even in Kashmir. Can we derive that the situation in Kashmir is better than in Bengal? See what is happening in Bengal today. And this is why films like 'The Bengal Files' are important," Pallavi said.
Pallavi further stated that every Indian should watch this film to know the truth about Bengal.
"I want every person in India to watch this film to know the truth about Bengal. It is the state's responsibility to give respect to artists," Pallavi added.
Director Vivek Agnihotri also alleged that the trailer launch of his film was disrupted and stated that, "If this is not dictatorship/fascism, then what is?. Law and order in your state has failed, and this is the reason that everyone supports 'The Bengal Files'."
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"I have just got to know what some people came here (event venue in a private hotel) and cut all the wires. I don't know on whose orders this is happening? You know who those people are behind us. After all tests and trials, this program was being held. The hotel managers still can't tell us why we are not allowed to continue with our program."
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Indian Express
20 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Kal Penn at Express ADDA: ‘When it comes to race and identity, Hollywood can be fairly regressive'
Kal Penn on navigating identity politics in Hollywood, working in the White House and the changing goalposts over the years. He was in conversation with Anant Goenka, Executive Director, The Indian Express Group. The fact that you are wearing a suit and not a hoodie is, in a sense, an expression of identity. If I can go a step further, you took the decision to call yourself Kal Penn and not by your full Indian name (Kalpen Suresh Modi). I was born and raised in New Jersey and did my undergrad at UCLA. I studied theatre, film and sociology. I was also starting out as an actor. This was around 1998-99 and when you move to LA, you try to find an agent as soon as possible. You try to get somebody to represent you so you can go for professional auditions while pursuing your education. I had saved up for one round of head shots and a resume. And one night in college, a couple of my friends jokingly said, 'You should come up with a screen name.' They mentioned Whoopi Goldberg. It is not her birth name. Her real name was Karen Johnson. Then one of them said, 'What if you split your first name in half? So, it's Kal Pen, but add an extra N. And that extra N stands for 'not going to play a stereotypical role.' And I was like, 'Oh, that's kind of fun.' Let me send this out with that new batch of head shots and see if anything changes. Nothing really changed. The simple answer is that when you start working as an actor with whatever screen name you use, you sort of stick to that name. I've never changed my name legally. Obviously, today I don't think I would have made that same calculus, which is wonderful. It shows you how much the goalposts have changed. Identity today is complicated. For instance, Priyanka Chopra was getting baited because, in a reel, she chose a hot dog over a vada pav. Is it something that you have to think about? No. I'll give you an example. But before that, let me just say, I stand on the shoulders of so many Indian and South Asian diaspora actors who kicked down the doors for me in Hollywood. I feel like we have always had to be careful about things. The food question is a funny one because a few years ago my manager asked: 'Do you want to be on Master Chef?' So it's like a cook off, between you and another actor and you raise money for charity. And in one of the pre-ins, they were like: 'What's your favourite food?' I said, 'Oh man, tacos. I would love to cook tacos.' They were clearly disappointed. And they go, 'Do you think you might cook a chicken tikka masala?' I was like, 'Oh, I see where you're going with this.' To me, it's the silliness of it — are you not allowed to love other things? People will always project their own likes, dislikes, insecurities and that comes with the territory. I just try to laugh it off. But do South Asian actors have to think about just how much to assimilate versus how much to differentiate? For instance, Sofia Vergara and Salma Hayek wear their origin on their sleeves. I know I couldn't possibly weigh in on somebody else's experience but I get your question on what does your authenticity mean. I did a film Van Wilder, where I played a fairly stereotypical Indian exchange student. It's your early 2000s teen sex comedy. So for this, my agent called me, very excited. And like any other profession, in the late '90s and early 2000s in Hollywood, you need credits on your resume for anybody to take you seriously. She explained to me that it's really hard if you're not White or Black at that time, especially because there are very few credits you can get on your resume. Nobody was going out of their way to cast you unless a role at the time was specifically written for an Indian or Indian-American. So I asked for the script and the name of the character. 'The name of the character is Taj Mahal,' she said. I hung up on her. She called me back and explained again, 'Look, build a resume and get your foot in the door.' Long story short, I auditioned for it. I took the job. I worked with the writers and the director on trying to find jokes that weren't just based on the guy's name or where he's from. But even 20 years later, I get this question a lot: 'On a scale of one to 10, how much do you regret doing that project?' But if I had not done Van Wilder, I would not have had the chance to do Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle. One of the reasons that I got that part ultimately was because I was the only one on the short list who had had a studio film credit. And had I not done Harold and Kumar, I would not have had the chance to do The Namesake, which still today is probably my favourite project. Mira Nair was a role model when I was a kid. She was one of the catalysts for me being an actor. The reason I got that audition was because I wrote her a letter. In it, I said: 'Look, The Namesake is an incredible book. You have to let me audition.' And it just so happened that her 14-year-old son, at the time, you know him as Zohran Mamdani, who will hopefully be the next mayor of New York. He was a fan of Harold and Kumar and apparently was telling Mira every night, 'Mom, you should audition Kal Penn' and showed her clips. She apparently watched them and and then got my letter and said, 'Okay, what the heck. Because of Zohran, I have to let him audition at least.' I grew up thinking that neither Hollywood or Washington were accessible to me. I saw them as monoliths that people, who were like me, were not allowed to access Fascinating, so, Zohran is the reason you got The Namesake. I got the audition. But all of these questions about identity, it's, of course, easy to look back and wish my first job was like a Chris Evans-style jumping out of a helicopter with a machine gun saving good guys film. But, look at me. That wasn't going to happen in 2000. It might not even happen today. But I have absolutely no regrets because I'm so glad for the trajectory. I'm glad for how the goalposts have changed, how much Hollywood has evolved and I'm really proud of the roles that I've had the chance to play. Are all things artistically beautiful? Is there objectivity? Or is art subjective? Maybe both. I did not want to sit next to my parents at the Harold and Kumar premiere because in the first scene I'm naked from the waist down and the shot is from the back and I just didn't need to sit next to my parents for that. So not everything is for everybody. But I'm deeply proud of that movie. And it was interesting to remember hearing my mom… I'm not deflecting this. I just remembered this story. When I was home I… I overheard mom talking to my maasi on the phone… and I could only obviously hear her end of the conversation but the gist of it was that she was being asked if the movie was like Van Wilder, and my mom was like 'na ma lead che' (he is the lead). It was like… okay. So, we're ignoring the fact that they are teen sex marijuana comedies and there's just pride in the fact that I have a lead. I was like, 'All right, okay. This is progress. We're doing well.' Even though she had to sit next to one of my friends during the premiere, I'm like, 'Maybe I could have sat next to my mom during the premiere.' So, I don't know. I think it is subjective to some extent but we can find beauty in things. Comedians in India are not having it easy. Comics have also taken such extreme positions that the middle ground, in a sense, is vacant. What are we doing wrong? Let me just call Vir Das real quick to give you the answer to this question… I mean look, I don't know. The stand-up comics whose work I enjoy most are people whose voices are authentic. I find that form of storytelling vulnerable, authentic and really fun to watch. One of my favourite stand-up comics right now is a guy named Shane Gillis. I'm a big Vir Das fan, but I don't have his lived experience. But the people you're quoting, their lament is that the audience is getting more and more intolerant. This is across the board with a lot of things. My take is: 'Okay, I don't like something, I'm just going to maybe mute the person or unfollow him.' But then there are a lot of people who are like, 'I was offended by that, I didn't like that joke. Should I unfollow that dude or should we kill him?' How did we jump from I don't like that to let's go take his life? I don't understand this. Also Read | Kal Penn reveals how teen sex comedy Van Wilder opened doors for him in Hollywood: 'I played a fairly stereotypical Indian exchange student' Well, you've had a vantage point from inside the White House. Did you see this happening around the world? That we get offended easily and that we're not open to hear something we don't want to. You can mute but you don't have to get a show taken off air just because you can. I think the root of what you're asking in the political world comes from a feeling of powerlessness. I can understand where that rage would come from. We are seeing that when it comes to our political discourse. One of the reasons I wrote my book is that I grew up thinking that neither Hollywood or Washington were accessible to me. I viewed them as monoliths that people, who were like me, were not allowed to access. But that's not true. I think when we have this feeling that we don't have power. It makes us disengage even more which is a shame because then it becomes self-fulfilling. And does art suffer because of this? I think it can suffer. There are plenty of examples where that actually happens. I think that we often make mistakes and are cancelled. But then other times you have a stand-up comedian who makes a joke that's regressive and that upsets people. I can understand why that might happen but I am a relative purist in a sense of the American version of free speech and the way that's protected in our constitution, ideally I would like to be able to defend your right to say whatever you want to but again, that's about privilege. You volunteered with (US Senator) Bernie Sanders. Yes, I volunteered with Bernie. Obviously, I'm biased towards Zohran because he got me the job in The Namesake. But our politics also align. There are some things I don't agree with. You would be insane to agree with every politician 100 per cent. It's an interesting time for that type of organisational politics because you've got folks who are offering at least a blueprint of ideas that I think we should pay attention to objectively. I think we should pay attention even if you're only a tech person who's looking at AI. Whether you love or hate AI, you realise the projection of how many jobs AI is going to be responsible for, for taking away. What's our public policy solution? Public policy moves way slower than technology. So unless you have politicians who are thinking about it and right now there are only two politicians in the US at a national level who even talk about AI because they understand technology. The rest of them are just listening to low-level staffers and lobbyists. Has liberalism receded in Hollywood or is it as intact as it always was? Was it ever intact? I'm asking you. No, I mean, you're talking to somebody who, early in his career, was told by plenty of casting directors and producers (though I'm an American, born and raised in the States) you should really go back to where you came from because you'd probably have incredible opportunities there. And I was like, 'In New Jersey, there's not a big film industry.' Obviously, I knew what they meant. So I never really associated Hollywood with actual progressivism. I think if you're talking about liberalism, it's the same liberalism you see that's supporting Biden and Harris in their assault on Gaza, which is not that different from Trump and Vance's assault on Gaza. If you look at what the Democratic Party has been doing on wages or taxation with a select few states, they haven't really been wonderful in the same way that true progressives have been. What I'm getting at is nuance matters a lot. I took a few years off to work in politics. I had started working for Obama in the primary that led up to the general election. At the time, (Barack) Obama was running against Hillary Clinton. There was this one particular guy who should remain nameless. He is a Hollywood producer, really kind and I enjoy working with him. But I remember he called and said, 'Hey, a bunch of us are thinking of throwing our support behind Obama. We've donated a lot to Hillary but I need to ask you because you've been working on the Obama campaign. If he wins, is he only going to nominate Black people in his cabinet?' And I laughed and said, 'I don't know, I hope so.' And then I realised this guy was serious. The only way I could answer it was by saying that from my experience the senator is hiring the best, most qualified people so that you will have a more diverse cabinet. But that question was jarring. But it also wasn't surprising because my experience in Hollywood, especially when it came to race or identity, was fairly regressive. So I don't necessarily know how to answer that question of liberalism in Hollywood because I don't think it was quite there. But Hollywood always paints a very clear picture of the American dream. You get a house, a station wagon, two kids. And that actually became the world's dream. Totally. I love those stories. But has the attractiveness of that dream diminished? It sounds like you're trying to tell me it has. I don't know. Artistically, I think we're still trying to make stories that we love. What I like about comedy and we already said it's subjective, is that you can make a joke that not everybody finds funny but then, you and your crazy uncle whom you disagree with about almost everything can watch the same movie together and still laugh. That's the soft power kind of unifier that I still think probably exists. ++++ You have acted in Designated Survivor. You've represented the White House. Which role was more scripted? I'm very proud of having served my country, but I love being an actor more than anything. And Designated Survivor was definitely more scripted. You're literally working off scripts. Your advice to an Indian student preparing to go to college in America. The one thing they need to worry about and the one thing they don't. If you have the visa, you already have all the answers. You've been told by the consulate to unlock your social media. Obviously, delete anything that might be problematic. But also, despite all the news, there's so much support in the US right now for immigrants, both documented and undocumented. So take advantage of that sense of community. The one thing that disappointed you about Obama or his legacy… with the 2025 lens? There's so much that even he would say, like 'Oh, I wish we could have gotten through.' The Affordable Care Act. The Dream Act, which failed by five Democratic votes. I wish we were better at the arts. We did so much on the delegation to Cuba, for example, but I wish we had codified a lot more of what it means to fund the arts. We caved to political accusations of politicising the arts. Now the current president has basically gutted public funding for the arts, and you just sit there going, 'I wish we had made those institutions stronger, and were less naive about how quickly you could dismantle them.' One thing that feels alien to you about India and the one thing that feels alien about the United States. Everybody says 'Oh you can get anything at any hour of the day or night in New York City or LA.' That's true, but the last time I was here, I had a cold and a friend just did two things on his phone and six minutes later the thing I needed was delivered. That feels really foreign to me. In the US, there's a strong sense of community, which feels foreign and also reassuring that hope is not lost. The one thing that the Democratic Party should have learned but didn't after the thumping victory of Trump. The Democrats are pointing fingers at everybody except themselves. All of the things that Kamala Harris and Joe Biden struggled with, you've got a Zohran Mamdani who won in New York City. New York went for Trump in the previous election not because people suddenly decided they were conservative. They looked at who is offering solutions for expensive groceries and that they cannot afford to live in the city they love. They saw Trump offering a version of the plan that he's obviously since abandoned. Zohran was able to capitalise on that. One difference between the right-wing movement in America and the one in India. You are asking a guy who just got his OCI card. I need to keep it for a while longer. The one stereotype you hate about portrayal of Indians in Hollywood. Thankfully, this has changed. But any stereotype stems from a character that's not fleshed out. So, just the fact that stereotypes don't allow you to be a full human being. The first thing that comes to your mind when I mention the following. Slumdog Millionaire Oscars. Apu in The Simpsons. Regressive. Dev Shah in Master of None. Very relatable. Raj Kutrapalli in The Big Bang Theory. Really fun. Parvati and Padma from the Harry Potter movies. I have not seen or read Harry Potter. Kelly Kapoor in The Office. Oh, so funny. The one comic in America you admire who doesn't vote like you? I don't know how he votes but Shane Gillis. We come from very different worlds and I value his take on the world, which a lot of my Republican friends also enjoy. Neil Patrick Harris, John Cho, Ryan Reynolds. Who would you bring to India first? John. You always travel with the person you're closest to. He is also Asian, so you have to explain less. There's a story of you almost having offered to take President Obama to a strip club. That's not correct. I had kept a real lid on the fact that I was taking a sabbatical from acting. When I started my job at the White House, it became a news story that I naively didn't think was going to be big. So this barber was like 'Oh my gosh, you're Kal Penn' and started having a conversation about the White House. He said, 'I'm not just a barber. I also own a Tapas bar… you should bring your whole office.' I was like, 'The Office of Public Engagement? We're not allowed to accept free drinks or anything.' He goes, 'No, no, but you should just come. I'll hook it up.' He goes, 'How many people in your office?' And I'm like, 'Like 40 people.' And he jokingly said, 'You should bring the Obamas.' I said, 'Well, I'll see what I can do', knowing full well that I'm not going to invite the president out for a staff drinks at a tapas bar. And then he gives me his card — Ronald's topless ladies — and I was like 'Oh, I thought tapas like little finger food, not topless.' Because I was new at the job, I had to tell our ethics officer that I just want to make sure in case this ever becomes a news story that I did not in fact almost take anybody to a strip club or a topless bar. The opposite in fact. So I'm disclosing this to you. Your view on Elon Musk. Genius first opportunist second or opportunist first genius second? Don't they all go hand in hand? Not just with Elon Musk. But when you get to a certain level, it's all intermixed. Isn't that the case for any of us? Of course, a guy like Elon Musk has way more power. But I feel like a lot of us are like, 'Oh, this choice that I make will have no impact.' When in reality, especially in a capitalist society, any choice we make has some impact. If you had to watch one episode from the new Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi and Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, which would you pick? One of the ways I started learning Hindi was through episodes of Saath Nibhaana Saathiya… the level of Hindi is accessible and they have super addictive ridiculous plot lines… so I have to go with a bahu-saas story. The one thing you learned from Irrfan Khan (The Namesake). The power of communicating through silence. He would do this throughout a lot of his scenes, but there are two in particular that I remember. There's one where he comes into my room to give a copy of the Nikolai Gogol collection of short stories. He just uses silence to convey so much of what his character is thinking and doing. He did something similar in a scene where he tells Gogol about the origin of his name. And there's very little dialogue in both. Zoya Akhtar, Karan Johar or Mira Nair. Your pick for your next film. And it's the lead character. I love them all. I want to work with all of them. I already worked with Mira. I would love to work with her again. I have to pick one? It's the lead character? Then whoever pays me more. I am a Gujju after all. **** Amish Tripathi Author American Indians are perhaps the most successful community in the United States, in every way, except the entertainment industry. Why? It is just slower because the immigration pattern to the US was not based in the arts. So it lags a little bit. But if you look at leadership in arts professions now versus 10 or 20 years ago, it is leaps and bounds better than it was before. You have so many people running a lot of companies. Everyone talks about Bella Bajaria (Chief Content Officer) who essentially runs Netflix. .. stuff that Mindy Kaling and Priyanka (Chopra) are doing, things that I do with my companies, trying to finance projects and voices. We are not all at the same levels and sometimes things fluctuate. Priyanka Sinha Jha Curator of Screen Awards Will Harold and Kumar ever be coming to Mumbai? which aspect of the Indian way of life do you think can be featured in the fifth edition? The fourth film, we are hoping to make. They have a deal with the writers. They don't have one yet with the cast but hopefully they will work all that out with the teams and we would love to do a fourth movie. In terms of coming to Mumbai, hypothetically, if there was a film awards programme that they were invited to, maybe they would show up. There's another edition of Don coming out. Would you ever be a part of it? It is one of your favourite movies. It is. And I'll throw this out there. I had dinner with Arjun Bhasin who is the costume designer on the film, and Zoya (Akhtar). As a massive fan of the franchise, I am so excited to see that. And if there was a cameo, I would not say no. In that, I would be very cheap. I'd be like, 'Yes, I am going to come to do it. What is your lowest rate?' I am a big fan. Deepak Sethi Founder and CEO, Solutions QED You said the Democrats got their messaging wrong. 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You have so many candidates in leadership positions on the left who are offering solutions. I am still hopeful that we learn from that. I just don't know the degree to which that'll happen.
Time of India
34 minutes ago
- Time of India
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Time of India
35 minutes ago
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Lauren Kyle turns heads as she mimics Connor McDavid's viral water sport moment during Muskoka getaway
Lauren Kyle shared glimpses of their Muskoka summer, playfully referencing Connor McDavid's viral wakeboarding video (Getty Images) Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid may be in offseason mode, but his wife, Lauren Kyle, is the one turning heads online. Known for balancing her role as an interior designer with life alongside hockey's biggest name, Lauren recently gave fans a glimpse of their summer in Muskoka that blended fun, family, and a wink at one of McDavid's viral moments. Muskoka downtime becomes a memorable social media highlight Lauren shared a series of Instagram Stories over the weekend that showed the couple's relaxed cottage lifestyle—complete with their dogs, a family basketball game, and her own attempt at wakesurfing. What made the post stand out was the playful nod to last summer, when McDavid's wakeboarding skills went viral and even drew comparisons to Mark Zuckerberg's now-famous 'surfing in a tux' video. Setting her clip to 'Summer' by The Carters, Lauren managed to turn a casual ride behind the boat into a lighthearted callback fans instantly recognized. Rather than trying to outshine her husband's viral moment, Lauren leaned into humor and relatability, which made the content feel effortless. From French celebrations to European escapes with friends This lakeside content came shortly after Lauren and Connor attended Leon Draisaitl's wedding to actress Celeste Desjardins in France. The couple then joined the newlyweds in St. Tropez for a sun-soaked getaway that Lauren also documented online. Photos of seaside views, chic wedding attire, and candid moments with Oilers teammates highlighted the close-knit bonds within the team's circle. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Guyangan: Unsold Sofas Prices May Surprise You (Prices May Surprise You) Sofas | Search Ads Search Now Undo The gathering included several Edmonton players and their partners, underscoring the value of these offseason trips in strengthening personal and professional chemistry. Also Read: 'I deserve a chance': Nazem Kadri fires back after Hockey Canada camp exclusion, cites career-best season and experience For fans, these glimpses go beyond hockey stats. They showcase Connor and Lauren as down-to-earth, playful, and family-oriented. By mixing humor, authenticity, and style, Lauren ensures that even offseason updates keep McDavid at the center of conversation—without needing a single goal or assist. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
