In an exclusive interview with NDTV's Padmaja Joshi, filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri opened up on the controversy around his new film The Bengal Files which is facing backlash over the allegedly wrong portrayal of Gopal Patha, real name Gopal Mukherjee, who was a key figure during the Great Calcutta Killings in 1946.
The Bengal Files revolves around the Calcutta riots of August 16, 1946, which were triggered after the All-India Muslim League called for Direct Action Day to demand a separate homeland. It is slated to be released on September 5, 2025.
Earlier this week, Gopal Patha's grandson Santanu Mukherjee sent a legal notice to Vivek Agnihotri for maligning his grandfather's name, followed by filing an FIR against The Bengal Files filmmaker. He has alleged that the director referred to Gopal Patha as "Ek Tha Kasai Gopal Patha (Once Upon A Time There Was A Butcher Called Gopal Patha)" in a personal reel.
Reacting to Santanu Mukherjee's allegation against him, Vivek Agnihotri told NDTV, "Just because somebody is son or grandson of a great person doesn't mean he's also great. The grandchildren of Gandhi and Nehru don't have to be as great as Gandhi or Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.
"Mr Santanu has been talking to me on the phone and he works with the TMC, so he has to speak what he's asked to. Also, what happens sometimes is that when films like these are coming at the last minute, lots of people try to blackmail filmmakers because they think they will get a lot of money. But I am the last person to give even one penny under blackmail, and I had offered to thank him (in the film)."
When Padmaja Joshi asked whether Santanu Mukherjee was blackmailing him, Vivek Agnihotri said, "I'm not saying that".
"I'm saying some people try to take advantage of films that get into a little controversy. I'm not taking anybody's name."
The filmmaker then said that The Bengal Files has "a small episode" on Gopal Patha, which he claims is based on the interview he gave to the BBC.
"In his own interview to the BBC, he said, 'Maine bola woh ek maarein tum dus maarna. My film also has this dialogue. This part of Gopal Mukherjee is based on Mr Santanu Mukherjee's own interview, which he had given a couple of years ago. Now, his political alignment has shifted, so he's speaking some other language. That's his problem."
Vivek Agnihotri reiterated that he has depicted Gopal Patha as a hero in his film.
"I have shown him exactly who he was. He was the owner of a meat shop who fought and saved lots of people's lives... One thing I can tell his grandson or great grandson whoever that after seeing this film, every single person in this country is going to salute Gopal Mukherjee."
The filmmaker also said he was supposed to inaugurate a statue of Gopal Patha in Kolkata when he was in West Bengal for the trailer launch of The Bengal Files which was stopped after the authorities intervened.
When asked about Santanu Mukherjee's claims that he has shown Gopal Patha as a "Muslim hater", Vivek Agnihotri said, "He hasn't seen the film. He doesn't even know what is inside the film. I don't know what is the basis of him saying it. So I must ignore that... Nowhere have I shown him as anybody's hater. He (Santanu Mukherjee) is saying it just because he's to toe the party line. He hasn't seen the film. He has absolutely no clue what is inside the film."
Also Read | The Real Gopal Patha vs What His Family Says About His Bengal Files Character By Vivek Agnihotri
