Did Vivek Agnihotri's 'The Bengal Files' insult Bengali freedom fighter?
What's the story
Vivek Agnihotri's upcoming film The Bengal Files has landed in legal trouble over its portrayal of Bengali freedom fighter Gopal Mukherjee. Shantanu Mukherjee, the grandson of Mukherjee, has filed a police complaint against the filmmaker for allegedly misrepresenting his grandfather's identity in the film. The complaint was filed after the trailer of Agnihotri's political drama was released on August 16, marking the 80th anniversary of the "Great Calcutta Killings," or Direct Action Day.
Trailer backlash
'I think Vivek Agnihotri should research more on this'
The trailer of The Bengal Files has been criticized for introducing Mukherjee as "Ek Tha Kasai Gopal Patha," a portrayal Shantanu finds factually incorrect and offensive. He said, "My grandfather was called Kasai (which means the butcher), also called Patha (means goat), which is disrespectful." "I think Vivek Agnihotri should research more on this. From where did they get this wrong information? He has not contacted us either."
Apology sought
Shantanu demands public apology from Agnihotri
Shantanu has sent a legal notice to Agnihotri and lodged a formal FIR demanding a public apology. He expressed disappointment over the filmmakers not consulting his family or verifying historical facts before releasing the trailer. "That's why we are protesting and will continue to do so," he said. The film is the third installment in Agnihotri's Files Trilogy, following The Tashkent Files (2019) and The Kashmir Files (2022).
Film focus
About 'The Bengal Files'
The Bengal Files explores the 1946 Great Calcutta Killings and the Noakhali riots, portraying these events as genocide. The trailer's release on the anniversary of this tragedy has added emotional weight and intensified public scrutiny. The film stars Mithun Chakraborty, Anupam Kher, Darshan Kumar, and Pallavi Joshi in lead roles. It will be released in two parts, with the first part titled The Bengal Files: Right to Life releasing on September 5, 2025.