Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri has accused West Bengal's Trinamool Congress (TMC) government of forcibly stopping the trailer launch of his upcoming movie, "The Bengal Files," at a five-star hotel in Kolkata. Agnihotri alleged that the event was disrupted at the last minute due to political pressure, calling the move "dictatorship" and an attack on freedom of expression in the land of Satyajit Ray.
The incident occurred on Saturday, with Agnihotri claiming a heavy police contingent was deployed and that wires at the venue were deliberately cut to prevent the screening. He and co-producer Pallavi Joshi questioned the government's motives, with Joshi asking if the situation in Bengal has become worse than in Kashmir, where they faced no such issues during "The Kashmir Files".
In response, TMC leader Kunal Ghosh dismissed the allegations as "drama," labeling the film as "politically motivated propaganda" intended to malign Bengal and divide people. Police sources stated that the event organizers had not received the necessary permission for the screening, which is why it was stopped.
The controversy has ignited a political battle, with the BJP strongly condemning the incident. Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar described the situation as "jungle-raj" and "anarchy," questioning what Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is afraid of.
"The Bengal Files," written and directed by Agnihotri, features prominent actors such as Anupam Kher, Mithun Chakraborty, and Pallavi Joshi. The film, which explores the 1946 Calcutta riots, is the final installment of Agnihotri's "Files" trilogy and is scheduled for release on September 5.
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