"Vivek Agnihotri voices opposition against the Mamata government after the screening of Bengal Files trailer is abruptly halted during a showing in Kolkata"
In a dramatic turn of events, the trailer launch of film director Vivek Agnihotri's latest project, The Bengal Files, was marred by alleged political interference and disruptions in Kolkata.
Agnihotri accused the West Bengal state government, led by Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress, of orchestrating the disruptions, claiming that the film challenges their political narrative. The event faced cancellations at a multiplex, attempts to cut power at an alternate hotel venue, police intervention citing permission issues, and abrupt halting of the trailer screening despite media presence and official clearances.
The film director alleged that the police were deployed to prevent the trailer from being shown due to political ambitions. He further suggested that the film's focus on the 1946 Great Calcutta Killings and related communal violence exposed sensitive political truths, which the ruling party is keen to suppress.
Agnihotri also accused political pressure on multiplexes regarding the screening of The Bengal Files. He shared a video on social media, stating that despite having all written permissions, the cinema hall pulled out due to "political pressure" and to avoid "turmoil".
This is not the first time Agnihotri has faced controversies ahead of his film release. He has a history of making controversial public statements during interviews, and his previous film, The Kashmir Files, sparked political sensitivities.
Despite the setbacks, Agnihotri remains undeterred. He stated, "I cannot be silenced." He also accused West Bengal authorities of pressuring a leading movie theatre chain to cancel the trailer launch of The Bengal Files at the last minute.
The controversy over the trailer launch came a day after Agnihotri accused West Bengal authorities of pressuring a movie theatre chain to cancel it. Agnihotri claimed that the state was trying to silence him because the film addresses issues of demographic change.
Agnihotri's upcoming film The Bengal Files is a follow-up to his previous film, The Kashmir Files, and has already sparked political sensitivities in West Bengal. The director stated that this is a very sad commentary on democracy and questioned if there are two constitutions in India - one for the rest of the country and another for West Bengal.
References:
- The Hindu
- NDTV
- India Today
- The Times of India
- Outlook India
- The disruptions at the trailer launch of Vivek Agnihotri's film, The Bengal Files, have raised questions about political interference in the finance sector, as Agnihotri claims the West Bengal government used influence to control the screening.
- The alleged manipulation of the movie market by West Bengal authorities raises concerns about freedom of speech, particularly in the entertainment industry, as Agnihotri's film, The Bengal Files, faces roadblocks due to political pressures.
- Agnihotri's latest project, The Bengal Files, has been caught up in a web of politics and finance, with the director accusing West Bengal authorities of interfering with Defi (distributed finance) platforms to suppress the film's positive reviews and prevent its wide dissemination.
- Amidst the ongoing political turmoil surrounding Vivek Agnihotri's film, The Bengal Files, general news outlets from The Hindu, NDTV, India Today, The Times of India, and Outlook India have reported on the controversial event, shedding light on the role of politics in influencing the stocks and film markets.
