Why Was The Bengal Files Banned In West Bengal? Revisiting Controversy Around Vivek Agnihotri's Film

When Vivek Aginhotri’s The Bengal Files hit theatres in September 2025, it wasn’t released in West Bengal. The film was accused of spreading propaganda and theatre owners in the state unanimously decided not to screen the film in their cinema halls. However, now that The Bengal Files is all set to release in the state, let’s revisit what really happened and why the people in Bengal could not watch the film.

Was The Bengal Files Banned In West Bengal?

There was no official ban on The Bengal Files in West Bengal by the then Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government. However, theatre owners had mutually decided not to screen the film. Several cinema hall owners also claimed they simply had prior commitments with other films and limited screen availability.

When the movie failed to secure widespread

theatrical release in Kolkata and other parts of Bengal, Vivek Agnihotri and Pallavi Joshi had also alleged that an “unofficial ban” had been imposed under political pressure.

“Since then, baseless FIRs have been filed, police blocked our trailer, and even newspapers avoid carrying ads. My family is threatened every day by political party workers. Now theatre owners have told us they are being intimidated, threatened and are refusing to screen it, fearing violence by ruling party workers. There is no official ban, yet an unofficial ban silences the film before people can see it,” Pallavi Joshi claimed in a letter that she wrote to the President of India, Droupadi Murmu.

Issue Over Gopal Patha’s Portrayal

The film additionally faced legal trouble over its portrayal of historical figure Gopal Mukherjee, popularly known as Gopal Patha. His family filed complaints against Agnihotri, accusing the filmmaker of depicting him negatively without permission. An FIR was also reportedly lodged over the issue, adding another layer to the already heated political and cultural row surrounding the movie.

However, later, in an exclusive interview with News18, Showsha Joshi clarified that Gopal Patha had not been disrespected in the movie. “There’s been no disrespect for him. Whatever he has been claiming in his notices that he’s been sending us is all false. We have evidence. Once the film releases, everyone will know what is what,” she told us.

Now, The Bengal Files is scheduled to hit theatres on May 15, 2026.