‘Make Manipur Files, Gujarat Files if you’re a true filmmaker’

KOLKATA: A day after the trailer launch of filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri’s film ‘The Bengal Files’ was allegedly halted by Kolkata Police, several cultural personalities under the banner of Desh Bachao Ganamancha, including singer Saikat Mitra, director Haranath Chakraborty and WBCPCR adviser Ananya Chakraborti voiced strong opposition to the film, accusing Agnihotri of maligning Bengal and distorting history. Formed as a civil society group, Desh Bachao Ganamancha works to raise public awareness about the BJP’s subversive politics.

“A filmmaker has the right to make films but needs to be factually correct. It’s a pre-planned move to malign the people of Bengal to fulfill the political interest of BJP. That isn’t filmmaking,” said Haranath, director of ‘Sasur Bari Zindabad’. Ananya echoed the sentiment, alleging that Agnihotri was using cinema to push a political agenda. “Vivek Agnihotri is BJP’s favourite boy. If he is a true filmmaker, let him make Manipur Files and Gujarat Files. But he decided to make a film maligning Bengal just before the 2026 elections,” she said.

Meanwhile, National Award-winning filmmaker Goutam Ghose addressed the issue through a video message, recalling the trauma of Partition and Bengal’s sacrifices during the freedom struggle, without naming the director. “If you go to Cellular Jail in the Andamans, you will see that 90 percent of the names are of Bengalis, followed by Punjabis. So, it shows how Bengalis fought for the freedom struggle,” said the ‘Moner Manush’ director.