'The Bengal Files', the newest film from Vivek Agnihotri - whose past offerings include the hugely controversial 'The Kashmir Files' and 'The Tashkent Files' - has kicked up a row even before its September 5 release date, with the director throwing a challenge to the ruling Trinamool Congress.
Faced with multiple police complaints - including one in Murshidabad, the scene of communal violence in April over changes to Waqf laws, which govern Muslim charitable properties - he hit out at attempts to "the truth (about Hindu genocide)" and said the trailer for the film would release first in Bengal.
Mr Agnihotri, in the United States to promote his film, posted a lengthy video statement on X, in which he also slammed the Trinamool for obstructing his movie and accused the ruling party of wanting to "trap us with legal hassles so we can't focus on the film".
"As you know, I am in the United States promoting my new movie, 'The Bengal Files'. Let me tell you that this is, most definitely, the most important film on Hindu genocide... it uncovers so many dark chapters of our history that vested interests had covered up," he said.
"But while I am here, you won't believe it... the ruling party of West Bengal and their members have been filing so many FIRs against us in different cities. That is their strategy."
Important & Urgent:
— Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) August 5, 2025
Multiple FIRs have been filed against me by the West Bengal govt for making #TheBengalFiles.
The Hon'ble High Court has stayed them.
Why do they want to silence us? Why are they so scared of the truth?
I will not be silenced.
Pl Watch & Share.… pic.twitter.com/ksQpMA7476
"I was quiet... did not share this information with anyone because we were taking legal recourse and now have good news. The Calcutta High Court has given a stay on the FIRs."
The complainants had alleged the release of 'The Bengal Files' could lead to communal disharmony in the state, particularly with months to go for an Assembly election.
However, a single-judge bench of Justice Jay Sengupta ordered an interim stay on the police complaints till August 26. The next hearing will be on August 19.
Celebrating the interim stay, Mr Agnihotri also criticised the Trinamool for not allowing him to shoot the film in the state. "Why do they not want this dark chapter in the history of Murshidabad to come out in the public. Are there against me or the film or the truth?"
READ | "Hindus Targeted, Local Cops Absent": Murshidabad Violence Report
Neither the Trinamool nor Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has responded so far.
Ms Banerjee ran into headwinds in May 2023 after she banned the screening of another controversial movie, 'The Kerala Story' by Sudipto Sen. The state argued certain scenes could affect peace and harmony in Bengal. However, the Supreme Court later set aside the ban.
The court said legal provisions could not be used to put a premium on public intolerance.
Bengal is prepping for a critical election next year.
READ | "We Are Ready": Mamata Banerjee's 'Poll Battle' Dare For PM After Criticism
The BJP and its brand of muscular nationalism has lost three consecutive major elections to Mamata Banerjee, starting with the 2019 Lok Sabha poll. In 2021 the Trinamool thumped the BJP, winning 215 of 294 Assembly seats. But the BJP won 77 - a massive uptick from the six it won in 2016.
Ms Banerjee, a vocal and no-holds barred critic of the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has declared herself and her party ready for Round 4, telling her arch-rival, "If you have courage, go for an election tomorrow. We are ready... Bengal is ready... people are with us."
With input from agencies
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