Tension in Kolkata: 'Bengal Files' Trailer Screening Halted Amid Controversy
'The Bengal Files' trailer screening in Kolkata faced disruption due to alleged anarchy, with BJP's Samik Bhattacharya accusing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's government of lawlessness. Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri criticized the censorship, saying directives halted the event despite approvals. The film focuses on the 1946 Direct Action Day in Bengal.
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In a dramatic turn of events in Kolkata on Saturday, tensions erupted when the trailer screening of Vivek Agnihotri's film 'The Bengal Files' was abruptly stopped. West Bengal BJP chief Samik Bhattacharya seized the moment to launch an attack on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing her of fostering anarchy and attempting to transform Bengal into an 'Islamic Republic.' Bhattacharya described the current situation as marked by a 'total absence of law and order.'
The incident occurred at the ITC Royal Bengal, where filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri addressed the audience, expressing his frustration at the unforeseen interruption. Agnihotri claimed that despite securing all necessary permissions, the screening was halted allegedly due to external interference. 'If this is not dictatorship or fascism, then what is?' he remarked, emphasizing the breakdown of law and order.
Agnihotri also revealed details about prior challenges faced, including the cancellation of the trailer launch by a prominent cinema chain. 'The Bengal Files,' featuring actors such as Mithun Chakraborty and Anupam Kher, delves into the communal strife of 1940s Bengal, focusing on events like the 1946 Direct Action Day. The film is set for a theatrical release on September 5.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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