'The Bengal Files' trailer to release in Bengal, says Agnihotri
Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri, currently in the US, claims West Bengal's ruling TMC is filing multiple FIRs to stop his new movie, The Bengal Files.
He's calling it "the most important film on Hindu genocide," and says he'll still launch the trailer in Bengal first—even with all these legal hurdles.
Legal troubles for Agnihotri
Complaints from places like Murshidabad (which has seen recent communal violence) argue that the film might stir up trouble ahead of West Bengal's assembly elections.
The Calcutta High Court has stepped in and paused all FIRs against Agnihotri until August 26.
So far, TMC hasn't responded.
Political backdrop ahead of elections
West Bengal is heading into a high-stakes election season with BJP gaining ground and TMC pushing back against their narrative.
Mamata Banerjee even challenged BJP to bring on early elections, saying her party is ready for any fight.
This isn't the first time films have gotten tangled in politics here—last year's ban on The Kerala Story was overturned by the Supreme Court for free speech reasons.