The Bengal Files First Reviews: Foreign viewers say Vivek Agnihotri's film is 'a wake-up call' amidst release uncertainty in West Bengal

The Bengal Files: Right To Life is the third film in Vivek Agnihotri's ‘Files Trilogy.’ The other two movies are: The Kashmir Files and The Tashkent Files. It has begun to generate strong reactions overseas, having been released mostly in North America over the past month. The film, which will hit theatres in India on September 5, 2025, has been getting positive reviews from foreign audiences. 

Foreign viewers praise The Bengal Files

While The Bengal Files is releasing in India on September 5, the film's theatrical release has already received positive remarks from foreign audiences. Some said that The Bengal Files by Vivek Agnihotri is a meticulously crafted cinematic portrayal of real events, and it vividly brings to life the political turmoil of 1946, including the Noakhali Hindu massacre.

Another said that it is a difficult film to watch but an important one because it addresses the suppressed generational trauma of the events in 1946-1947. It balances the stories we know from the Partition in northern India with events that preceded it by a year in eastern India.

Meanwhile, one reviewer urged: “A must see, show it to your Young Adult Children. Bengal Files is a hard-hitting, gut-wrenching portrayal of the forgotten Hindu genocide in eastern India. It exposes centuries of relentless persecution—over 1,400 years—culminating in the horrors faced during and after the Muslim invasions. This is not just a film; it’s a wake-up call to remember a history that has been silenced for too long."

The review further read, "Tragically, this is not only history—the same Hindu genocide continues today, with atrocities as recent as March 2025 in Murshidabad, West Bengal. It is a chilling reminder that these patterns of violence are not confined to one place—they echo across the world in various cities.”

The Bengal Files' release uncertainty in West Bengal

It has been noticed that on BookMyShow, the 'Book tickets' option is not showing when your location is a city in West Bengal, while other states are showing. It proves the release uncertainty in West Bengal.

Urging West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee not to ban The Bengal Files, Vivek shared a video where he appealed to her to allow the film's screeners in her state. In the caption, he wrote, "URGENT: An open appeal to Hon’ble CM @MamataOfficial. Please listen till the end and share widely as your protest against the banning of a film on Hindu Genocide. #TheBengalFiles In cinemas 05 September 2025."

Also Read: The Bengal Files OTT Release Date: When and where to watch Vivek Agnihotri's film on 'Hindu genocide' after its theatrical run

The Bengal Files follows a criminal investigator uncovering a corruption network while looking into a missing person case, set against the backdrop of the Great Calcutta Killings and the Noakhali riots in 1946, which significantly shaped the path to Indian independence and partition. The Bengal Files features actors Mithun Chakraborty, Anupam Kher, Darshan Kumar, and Pallavi Joshi. The Bengal Files will hit theaters on September 5, 2025.

Meanwhile, after its theatrical run, The Bengal Files will land on ZEE5 (OTTplay Premium). 

FAQs

Q: What is the Bengal Files movie based on?

A: The Bengal Files portrays the communal violence that occurred in Bengal, specifically focusing on Direct Action Day (1946) and its aftermath. The film is based on the real-life events of the 1946 Calcutta killings, also known as the Great Calcutta Killings, and the subsequent violence that spread to other parts of the Bengal Presidency, including the Noakhali riots and Tipperah (Comilla).

Q: Who directs The Bengal Files?

A: The Bengal Files is directed by Vivek Agnihotri.

Q: Are The Kashmir Files and The Bengal Files connected?

A: The Bengal Files: Right to Life, initially titled The Delhi Files: The Bengal Story, is the third story after Vivek Agnihotri's The Tashkent Files and The Kashmir Files. It follows a different storyline.

Q: Is The Bengal Files on OTT?

A: The Bengal Files will land on ZEE5 (OTTplay Premium) after its theatrical run.