At the special Mumbai screening of The Bengal Files, stars and filmmakers raised concerns over alleged intimidation of theatre owners ahead of the film’s release.
Mumbai, September 5 – The much-talked-about film The Bengal Files, directed by Vivek Agnihotri and produced by Pallavi Joshi along with Abhishek Agarwal, is all set to release on Friday. But just a day before its theatrical debut, the makers claim the film is facing severe resistance in West Bengal.
A special screening of the film was held in Mumbai on Thursday, attended by actors Anupam Kher, Mithun Chakraborty, and Darshan Kumar, among others. While the evening was meant to be a celebration of the film, much of the discussion was overshadowed by the controversy surrounding its release.
Earlier in the day, producer-actor Pallavi Joshi held a press conference alleging that theatre owners in Bengal were being “threatened by the police” and warned of “consequences” if they screened the film. She further claimed that the film was facing an “unofficial ban” in the state.
When asked why she decided to write a letter to President Droupadi Murmu, Joshi explained:
“Our film is not releasing in Bengal. And obviously, when the name of the film is The Bengal Files, a film made on Maa Bharati, it becomes very important for it to be released there. When all the doors were closed for us, this was the only way left. As a woman, I requested the President to intervene so that the film can be released peacefully.”
In her open letter, Joshi urged for “free and fair access” to audiences and emphasized that intimidation of theatre owners violates the democratic principle of creative expression. She refrained from elaborating on the threats but admitted that multiple theatre owners had privately told the makers that they were warned against screening the film.
Despite the hurdles, the team remains determined to bring The Bengal Files to audiences across the country. The film, which carries strong social and political themes, is expected to spark conversations upon release.