The Bengal Files release in West Bengal: Pallavi Joshi pleads with President Droupadi Murmu after unofficial ban

Vivek Agnihotri's The Bengal Files continues to face a ban in West Bengal. The movie is reported to face an unofficial ban in the state, as per Vivek's wife Pallavi Joshi's open letter to President Droupadi Murmu. A day ahead of the film's official release, Pallavi, who is also a part of the movie, has pleaded with the president to look into the matter. Here's her official statement...

Pallavi Joshi's letter to President

Pallavi Joshi reached out to President Droupadi Murmu for protection. She claims through the open letter that her family is threatened and mocked on a constant basis. The letter claims that CM (assumed to be West Bengal Mamata Banerjee) mocked the movie years before completion. In her letter, Pallavi claimed that various FIRs were filed against the makers. She claims that the newspapers refused to feature ads about the movie while also pointing out the police interference during The Bengal Files trailer launch in the city. The actress-producer addresses concern regarding the film's release, claiming that even theatre owners are threatened and intimidated by ruling party workers. In her letter, Pallavi points out that Victor Banerjee has already reached out to the President regarding the matter.

"The Bengal Files is the cry of Maa Bharati, scarred yet unbroken, a story of survival and hope. As a woman who rose from the margins to the highest constitutional office, only you can understand what it means to endure such pain and turn it into purpose," a part of the letter read. The actress pleaded with the President for The Bengal Files to be allowed for peaceful theatrical release in West Bengal.

About The Bengal Files

The Bengal Files promises to narrate the tale of India-Pakistan as well as West Bengal-East Bengal (now Bangladesh) partition, and the moment that started it all. The film focuses on the protests that took place during the partition. It is touted as the third and final chapter after The Tashkent Files and The Kashmir Files.

The history of The Bengal Files

The Bengal Files was originally titled The Delhi Files: The Bengal Chapter. Since the partition(s) are inter-connected, Vivek Agnihotri chose the title initially. However, the movie was later renamed as The Bengal Files. This, he claims, happened after public demanded the movie's title change.

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.