‘The Bengal Files': Trailer launch for Vivek Agnihotri's directorial venture halted in Kolkata, police cite lack of permission
Vivek Agnihotri
's upcoming film, 'The Bengal Files', a senior police official has confirmed that the filmmaker did not have the necessary permission for a public screening in Kolkata.
The event, which took place on Saturday, was stopped by police, causing a significant commotion.
Read on to learn more.
Vivek Agnihotri's 'The Bengal Files' trailer launch halted in Kolkata
According to NDTV, a senior police officer has shared that Vivek Agnihotri violated Section 2 of the West Bengal Cinemas (Regulation) Act, 1954, by not taking the required administrative permission. This act governs the exhibition of cinema in the state.
"If he has taken the required permission, he should at least show the media the documents," added the officer.
Vivek Agnihotri talks about the halting of 'The Bengal Files' trailer launch
Vivek Agnihotri claimed that the trailer launch of 'The Bengal Files' was halted at a five-star hotel in Kolkata on Saturday. Speaking to the reporters, he mentioned, 'It has happened in front of you, camera captured, the trailer launch of a CBFC-approved movie was stopped, this is anarchy, dictatorship. Police had come so that we could not show the movie.'
"The film talks about demographic change, and they don't want to show it because the state itself empowers demographic change.
I cannot be silenced," he added.
More about 'The Bengal Files'
Part of a trilogy, 'The Bengal Files' is said to chronicle the 1946 Great Calcutta Killings - also known as Direct Action Day. It sheds light on how communal violence in the state shaped India's path to partition and independence.
Set to release on September 5, the movie features Anupam Kher, Pallavi Joshi, Mithun Chakraborty, Saswata Chatterjee, and others in pivotal roles.
"Get the latest news updates on Times of India, including reviews of the movie
Coolie
and
War 2
."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
a few seconds ago
- First Post
Who is Rajesh Bhai Sakriya? The man from Gujarat who attacked Delhi CM Rekha Gupta
Delhi CM Rekha Gupta was attacked during a public grievance hearing at her residence on Wednesday morning. The man, identified as Rajesh Bhai Khimji Bhai Sakriya, allegedly handed over a paper to the CM, shouted, slapped, pulled her hair, and abused her. According to his mother, the 41-year-old is a dog lover and was upset with the Supreme Court ruling on the removal of stray dogs in Delhi-NCR Around 8 am Rajesh Sakariya, carrying some court papers, allegedly entered Rekha Gupta's Camp Office posing as a complainant and attacked her. Image courtesy: News18, PTI Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta's routine Jan Sunwai (public hearing) at her residence on Wednesday took an unexpected and disturbing turn when she was allegedly attacked by a man posing as a complainant. Eyewitnesses told News18 that around 8 am, the man approached Gupta with a document, shouted at her, and then allegedly slapped her, hurled abuses and even pulled her hair. Security personnel quickly intervened, and the CM was rushed to the hospital. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The attacker was later identified as Rajesh Bhai Khimji Bhai Sakriya, a resident of Gujarat's Rajkot. He is currently being interrogated by the Delhi Police. The shocking incident has raised sharp questions about the security arrangements around the chief minister, while also triggering strong political reactions across party lines. So what exactly happened? Why did Sakariya target the CM? Here's a closer look How the attack on Delhi CM unfolded Delhi CM Rekha Gupta was meeting residents at her new Civil Lines residence on Wednesday morning as part of a regular Jansunwai (public hearing) session, during which she hears their grievances. According to News18, the incident took place around 8 am when Sakariya, carrying some court papers, allegedly entered the CM's Camp Office posing as a complainant. He stood in the queue with others. He then broke the line and reportedly began shouting during the conversation with the CM, and then attacked her. Some eyewitnesses told NDTV that he appeared to be drunk, though this has not been confirmed by the authorities. Delhi BJP chief Virendraa Sachdeva told News18 that the man tried to drag Gupta by the hand, which led to a scuffle. He added that during this, her head may have struck a corner. She was soon rushed to the hospital for a medical check-up. Delhi CM Rekha Gupta was meeting residents as part of a regular Jansunwai (public hearing) session when she was attacked. File The Chief Minister's Office later issued a statement confirming the incident: 'Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was attacked today during a public grievance hearing. The Delhi Police promptly took the accused into custody and are interrogating him.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Police officials said they are verifying the attacker's details with the help of authorities in Gujarat. In the meantime, additional security has been deployed at the Chief Minister's residence. According to NDTV sources from Delhi Police, an inquiry will be conducted to find what led to this big security breach. Delhi Police Commissioner SBK Singh is expected to monitor this probe. Who is Sakriya Rajesh Bhai? According to a News18 report, the accused has been identified as 41-year-old Sakriya Rajesh Bhai Khimji Bhai, a resident of Rajkot in Gujarat. Delhi Police have reached out to his family. Speaking to the media, his mother, Bhanu Ben, described him as a dog lover who was disturbed by the Supreme Court's recent order to round up stray dogs in Delhi-NCR and shift them to shelters. 'My son is an animal lover and was deeply disturbed by the issue related to dogs. That is why he went to Delhi,' she told the outlet Sakriya Rajesh Bhai Khimji Bhai is a resident of Rajkot in Gujarat. He also has criminal cases registered against him in the state. Image courtesy: News18 However, several reports suggest a different motive. According to these accounts, Sakriya had gone to the public meeting to seek the chief minister's help after one of his relatives was arrested and lodged in Tihar Jail. He was believed to be carrying court-related documents with him, though an official statement from Delhi Police is still awaited. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Sources told News18, Sakriya has as many as five criminal cases registered against him in Gujarat, including charges of causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons and abettment to suicide. Some reports also alleged that the accused had been conducting surveillance for nearly 24 hours before the incident, and had even gone as far as visiting the Chief Minister's residence. How is Rekha Gupta now? Delhi BJP chief Virendraa Sachdeva confirmed that Gupta is 'shaken' but out of danger. 'Doctors have confirmed that Gupta is stable but in shock. She remains determined to continue her daily work and Jan Sunwai sessions. She is a strong woman with a clear commitment to Delhi," he told News18. For now, she is resting, but has made it clear that she will not cancel her scheduled programmes, Sachdeva added. The unexpected attack on the Delhi CM has drawn sharp condemnation from political leaders across party lines. Leader of Opposition and former CM Atishi said, 'In a democracy, there is a place for disagreement and protest, but there is no place for violence.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD दिल्ली की मुख्यमंत्री रेखा गुप्ता पर हुआ हमला बेहद निंदनीय है। लोकतंत्र में असहमति और विरोध की जगह होती है, लेकिन हिंसा के लिए कोई जगह नहीं है। उम्मीद है कि दिल्ली पुलिस दोषियों पर कड़ी से कड़ी कार्रवाई करेगी। आशा है मुख्यमंत्री पूरी तरह सुरक्षित हैं। — Atishi (@AtishiAAP) August 20, 2025 AAP supremo and former CM Arvind Kejriwal also took to X, writing, 'The attack on Delhi's Chief Minister Rekha Gupta is highly condemnable. In a democratic system, differences of opinion and opposition are acceptable, but there can be no place for violence.' दिल्ली की मुख्यमंत्री रेखा गुप्ता पर हुआ हमला बेहद निंदनीय है। लोकतांत्रिक व्यवस्था में विचारों का मतभेद और विरोध स्वीकार्य है, लेकिन हिंसा के लिए कोई स्थान नहीं हो सकता। मुझे विश्वास है कि दिल्ली पुलिस उचित कार्रवाई करेगी। आशा है कि मुख्यमंत्री पूरी तरह सुरक्षित और स्वस्थ हों। — Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) August 20, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav echoed the condemnation but turned the spotlight on law and order. 'If the Chief Minister of Delhi is not safe, then how can a common man or a common woman remain safe?' he asked. #WATCH | On an attack on Delhi CM Rekha Gupta during Jan Sunvai at CM Residence, Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav says, "This is very unfortunate. CM leads the entire Delhi, and I think that the more such incidents are condemned, the less it is. But this incident also exposes… — ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2025 With input from agencies
Time of India
10 minutes ago
- Time of India
CM Revanth Reddy felicitates Sukumar's daughter after 'Pushpa' director's little one Sukriti wins National Award
Picture Credit: X Director Sukumar and his family have been in a celebratory mood, as the 'Pushpa' director's daughter, Sukriti Veni Bandreddi , brought home a National Award for Best Child Actress for 'Gandhi Tatha Chettu,' at the age of just 15. To honor her achievement, Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy recently invited Sukumar, his wife, and Sukriti to his residence in Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad. CM Revanth Reddy felicitates Sukriti The CM felicitated the young actress and extended warm wishes to Sukumar's family. Producer Yalamanchili Ravishankar and other dignitaries were also present at the gathering. Sharing the picture on their social media, makers of the 'Gandhi Tatha Chettu' wrote, "Hon'ble Chief Minister of Telangana Shri. @revanth_anumula Garu congratulated and felicitated #SukritiVeniBandreddi on winning the National Award for #GandhiTathaChettu Director #Sukumar Garu, @Thabithasukumar Garu, producer #RaviShankar Garu and the entire team met the CM. " Chief Minister's words of praise The Chief Minister praised Sukriti's efforts in 'Gandhi Tatha Chettu' and congratulated her for achieving recognition of Telugu cinema on a national platform. He advised her to keep working on her craft and to take pride in continuing the legacy of telling meaningful stories. Photos and videos of the event, on social media by the Chief Minister's office. Sukriti's acclaimed debut Sukriti's debut in 'Gandhi Tatha Chettu' has been immensely regarded, capturing the soul of the film. The film tells a story about a young girl who uses Gandhian values. When a minister's spokesperson attempts to persuade villagers to allow them to sell their land for a chemical factory, Ramachandrayya refuses to sell a tree he values dearly. After he dies, Gandhi, portrayed by Sukriti picks up the struggle of protecting the tree through satyagraha (non-violence), rooted in the traditions of non-violent Gandhian thought. The film premiered at international festivals like Minsk and Jaipur in November 2024 and released in theaters on January 24, 2025. "Get the latest updates on Times of India, including reviews of the movie Coolie and War 2 ."
Time of India
10 minutes ago
- Time of India
From love story to spy thriller: Adivi Sesh's next chapter
Actor Adivi Sesh is stepping into a new league with projects lined up back-to-back, marking a milestone in his career as he expands beyond regional cinema into the national spotlight. First on the slate is his big Hindi outing Dacoit , an action-thriller laced with an emotional love story, where he stars opposite Mrunal Thakur . Hot on its heels comes G2 – Godachari 2 , the much-awaited sequel to Sesh's cult espionage hit Goodachari . Both films are being shot simultaneously in Hindi and Telugu, a conscious step by Sesh to reach audiences across the country. Speaking about this new phase, he said, 'I've always felt good cinema goes beyond language. With Dacoit and G2 , I'm not just chasing scale, I'm chasing souls. One is an emotional action-thriller, the other a vast spy adventure—but both tell Indian stories with a global vision.' "Get the latest updates on Times of India, including reviews of the movie Coolie and War 2 ."
