The Bengal Files[a] is an upcoming Indian Hindi-language political drama film written and directed by Vivek Agnihotri. It presents a storyline focused on the 1946 Great Calcutta Killings and the Noakhali riots, depicting the violence and its aftermath as a genocide, and claiming that these chapters of history were deliberately suppressed or ignored.[b]
The Bengal Files is the third and final instalment in Agnihotri's The Files Trilogy based on modern Indian history, following The Tashkent Files (2019) and The Kashmir Files (2022). With a runtime of 204 minutes, it is one of the longest Indian films and is scheduled to be released on 5 September 2025.[21]
Plot
The film portrays the tragic events surrounding Direct Action Day on 16 August 1946. Also known as the 1946 Great Calcutta Killings, the violence soon spread to surrounding regions of the Bengal Presidency, including the Noakhali riots of 1946 and incidents in Tipperah and Comilla, which are depicted through a cinematic narrative. Based on real incidents of communal violence, the story highlights events that significantly shaped India's path to independence and partition.[22]
Alongside this historical backdrop, the narrative follows a criminal investigator who, while working on a missing person case, uncovers a network of corruption. Parallel to his inquiry, another character reflects on the communal violence that erupted prior to the partition of India.[23]
Poster released when the film was titled The Delhi Files: The Bengal Chapter
He initially titled the film The Delhi Files: The Bengal Chapter to emphasise his belief that "the destiny of India is written in Delhi and not in Bengal".[25] In June 2025, Agnihotri officially renamed the film to The Bengal Files: Right to Life, reflecting the central focus on Bengal history rather than Delhi.[26]
Agnihotri explained that the title shift was prompted by public sentiment: a social media poll received overwhelming support (99% in favour) for renaming the film to better reflect its subject. He said, “The first and foremost reason is that the film is about Bengal... then I did a poll where 99 people asked me to change the title. That’s when I thought, why get stuck in the communication... Now, it makes more sense.”[27] He also noted that the second part of the project will similarly undergo a title change after the first chapter’s release.[28]
Principal photography began in 2023. Agnihotri confirmed that filming wrapped by January 2025.[citation needed] The cinematography of the film is handled by Attar Singh Saini.[citation needed]
Soundtrack
The soundtrack of The Bengal Files consists of a single released song and a background score.
The devotional folk-based song "Kichudin Mone Mone" was released as the first single. It is sung and composed by Parvathy Baul, with lyrics credited as traditional.[29][30]
According to the film's credits, Samarth Srinivasan is listed under the music department.[31]
Release
The Bengal Files is scheduled for a theatrical release on 5 September 2025. The film has received an A (adults only) certificate from the CBFC, with a runtime of 204 minutes, with reasons citing extreme violence and gory content.[32][2] Agnihotri has warned that he will pursue legal action if West Bengal prevents the release of his film.[33] Actor Victor Banerjee urged the President of India to guarantee that the screening occurs peacefully, free from intimidation or interference, and that the rights of both artists and audiences are fully safeguarded.[34]
Reception
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Historical accuracy
According to director Vivek Agnihotri, the film focuses on the communal violence in Bengal during the 1940s and their aftermath. Though the film is set primarily in Bengal, Agnihotri initially chose the title The Delhi Files because, in his words, "the destiny of India is written in Delhi and not Bengal." He stated that the events in Bengal were shaped by decisions taken in Delhi during the 1940s.[35]
The events portrayed in the film are based on historical incidents such as Direct Action Day, also known as the Great Calcutta Killings, which took place in August 1946. The violence, which originated in Calcutta following the Muslim League's declaration of Direct Action Day on 16 August, escalated into mass rioting, primarily affecting the Hindu population. Estimates of the death toll ranged from 5,000 to 10,000, with thousands more injured. The violence soon spread to surrounding regions, including Noakhali, Tipperah (Comilla), Bihar, and Punjab, intensifying communal tensions across India.[22]
Agnihotri and his team studied newspapers such as the New York Times, Time magazine, Life magazine, British publications, Bande Mataram by Sri Aurobindo, Amrit Bazar Patrika, and smaller local papers from Noakhali.[36] Agnihotri said the widely read accounts were authored by Leftist or Western writers, which frame Partition with the assumption that Hindus, as the majority, were oppressors, and Muslims, as the minority, were the oppressed.[37]
“It’s not that the information is not there, but one must dig deep and it’s very difficult to find it written in one place,” said Agnihotri.
Agnihotri said his team decided to examine firsthand accounts from people who lived through the events. One example involves Gopal Patha: in Richard Attenborough’s Gandhi, Om Puri’s portrayal shows Patha abusing Gandhi but ultimately submitting to him by touching his feet. In contrast, Agnihotri’s depiction is based on Patha’s own interviews with the BBC, presenting the character in his own words and experiences.[38]
Controversies
In April 2022, the Maharashtra Sikh Association issued objections, claiming the film would commercialise the 1984 Sikh massacres but the director on that time has not confirmed the plot details.[39] Although some speculated that the film is based on 1984 Sikh massacres,[40] later it was found to be based on Direct Action Day, which was also known as Great Calcutta Killings.[41]
During the trailer launch at a Kolkata hotel on 16 August 2025, which was initially planned at a movie theatre, the screening was abruptly halted by Kolkata Police.[42] In response, Agnihotri launched a scathing criticism against the West Bengal Government for haulting the screening for political reasons.[43] A senior Kolkata Police official stated that the organizers had failed to obtain an amusement license, which is required for hosting such screenings.[44]
Actor Saswata Chatterjee distanced himself from the controversy, revealing that he was unaware of the change in the film's title from Delhi Files to The Bengal Files, while also reiterating that he was merely an actor who played a character and not a historian tasked with verifying historical claims.[45] In response to this, Pallavi Joshi, the producer and actress of the film, addressed the claims, suggesting that Chatterjee might be facing political pressure. She also denied that he was informed solely about his character, clarifying that the film was originally titled The Delhi Files: Bengal Chapter and that it was always intended to focus on Bengal—something that everyone was aware of.[46]
Another controversy centered around Gopal 'Patha' Mukherjee, who played a pivotal role in protecting Hindus during the 1946 riots. His grandson Santanu Mukherjee filed a complaint at Bowbazar Police Station, accusing Agnihotri of showing his grandfather in poor light and neither taking the family’s permission nor approaching them before making the film.[47] Agnihotri, on the other hand, claimed that Gopal Patha in his film was an inspired, heroically portrayed character and not central to the plot. Sourav Das, the actor playing Gopal Patha, eventually distanced himself from the film, claiming he only knew about his character while being unaware of the script.[48] However, he also remarked that cinema must be viewed as a work of art and not through the prism of political or ideological bias.[49]
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