Kolkata– A political controversy erupted on Saturday between the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri alleged that the Kolkata Police disrupted the trailer launch of his upcoming film The Bengal Files, based on the 1946 Calcutta Riots.
The trailer was scheduled to be released at a five-star hotel in Kolkata on Saturday afternoon. However, the event was called off, prompting Agnihotri to accuse the authorities of “dictatorship and fascism.”
“If this is not dictatorship or fascism, then what is? Law and order in your state has failed, and that is why everyone supports The Bengal Files. I don’t know on whose orders this is happening,” Agnihotri said, expressing his outrage over the disruption.
BJP Slams TMC Government
Reacting to the incident, Union Minister of State for Education and DoNER, Sukanta Majumdar, condemned the development, calling it a “shameful episode” in the land of iconic filmmaker Satyajit Ray.
“In the land of the legendary Satyajit Ray, West Bengal has once again witnessed a shameful episode that shatters every limit of democratic decency. Words are simply inadequate to condemn what has just taken place,” Majumdar said in a post on X.
He further alleged that the state was being run under “jungle raj, anarchy, and authoritarian arrogance,” accusing the TMC government of suppressing free expression under the guise of political appeasement.
BJP leader Jagannath Chatterjee echoed the sentiment, calling it an attack on freedom of expression.
“Why can’t a movie be made or its trailer launched in West Bengal? Is the truth so inconvenient? On this very day in 1946, Suhrawardy called for Direct Action, leading to the massacre of 40,000 Hindu Bengalis. If a film depicts this truth, why is the ruling party so afraid of it?” he questioned.
TMC Hits Back
The Trinamool Congress swiftly responded, accusing the BJP and Agnihotri of manufacturing controversy ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections to malign the state’s image.
“Earlier, The Kashmir Files was released and BJP still lost state elections. Now they are trying the same with The Bengal Files. The people of Bengal are not interested in such politically motivated films,” said Debangshu Bhattacharya, TMC spokesperson.
“This is a deliberate attempt to stir controversy and attract media attention. Their aim is to paint Bengal in a poor light on the global stage,” he added.
TMC leader Arup Chakraborty directly criticized Agnihotri, alleging that the filmmaker orchestrates such “dramas” ahead of every release.
“People hardly watch his films, so he creates these stunts for publicity. He did the same before the release of The Kashmir Files. It’s a pattern,” Chakraborty claimed.
“Perhaps the issue lies with the hotel itself—maybe a payment dispute. The authorities may have canceled the event because the dues weren’t cleared,” he speculated.
As political tensions flare, no official statement has yet been issued by the Kolkata Police or the hotel regarding the reason behind the disruption. (Source: IANS)
