3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
The Bengal Files trailer: Vivek Agnihotri film promises to tell the ‘buried story of Hindu genocide'. Watch
Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri has unveiled the trailer of his upcoming release, The Bengal Files, on Saturday, coinciding with Direct Action Day (August 16). Set against the blood-soaked backdrop of West Bengal's violent political past, The Bengal Files sheds light on the massacre of Hindus that occurred in the aftermath of the Partition. The Bengal Files trailer: Sourav Das as Gopal Patha in a still from the film.
The Bengal Files trailer
The trailer opens with the line, 'Yeh Pachim Bangal hai, yaha do constitution chalta hai, ek Hinduao ka, ek Musalmanon ka (This is West Bengal, here there are two constitutions- one for Hindus and the other for Muslims).' Another character declares, 'Sirf Zameen ka tukda nahi, Bharat ka light house hai Bangal (This is not just about partition, because Bengal is the lighthouse of Bharat).'
A press note from the makers describes the film as 'an exposé of the brutal Hindu genocide that mainstream narratives have long buried.' Anupam Kher, Pallavi Joshi, and Mithun Chakraborty feature in the ensemble cast, which also stars Bengali actors Saswata Chatterjee and Sourav Das.
Viewers react
Many viewers praised Vivek Agnihotri for taking up this issue. One comment read, 'As an Indian Bengali, I am thankful that atleast one film maker had the guts and intent to bring this attrocity and gory chapter of Indian history to light.' Another added, 'I am a bengali form Tripura. I got tears in my eyes the moment I saw trailer. Thanks vivek agnihotri to making tha Film.' Many hoped the film would objectively show the reality of the Partition in that part of the country. 'Bengal files is not only for the people of Bengal but also for the people of the entire country,' wrote one viewer.
The cast and crew on The Bengal Files
Vivek Agnihotri said, 'The Bengal Files is a wake-up call… a roar that we will not let Bengal become another Kashmir. We decided to launch the trailer in Kolkata to bring authenticity to the portrayal of untold story of Hindu Genocide and you will witness a glimpse of it in the trailer. The nation should prepare… because if Kashmir hurt you, Bengal will haunt you.'
Mithun Chakraborty added, 'The Bengal Files is everything the audience never expected. For me, this is what cinema is for, making a difference and showing what people need to see. I tell you, I am representing all of you. This character has always brought me closer to you, and it will do the same for you as well.'
About The Bengal Files
The Bengal Files is written and directed by Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri and produced by Abhishek Agarwal, Pallavi Joshi and Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri. Produced by Zee Studios, presented by Tej Narayan Agarwal & I Am Buddha, it is a part of Vivek's Files trilogy that includes The Kashmir Files and The Tashkent Files. The film will arrive in theatres on September 5.
