A special screening of Vivek Agnihotri’s film The Bengal Files will be held at Kolkata’s National Library on September 13, hosted by Khola Hawa. The invite-only event has sparked political controversy amid doubts over law-and-order permissions.
The event will take place at Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Bhasha Bhavan auditorium of the National Library at 4 pm on September 13. According to the organisers, this will be a closed-door screening, accessible strictly by invitation. Dasgupta, in a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), shared the official invite, stating:
“ANNOUNCEMENT: Khola Hawa is proud to present the first showing in Kolkata of the iconic film The Bengal Files.”
The invitation further mentioned that both director Vivek Agnihotri and actor Pallavi Joshi will be present during the screening, making the event a significant socio-political and cultural occasion.
Political Context and Controversy
The film’s absence from cinema halls in West Bengal has sparked debate. While The Bengal Files has been released across India, the state’s political climate has prevented its theatrical release. Critics and opposition parties have accused the ruling establishment of suppressing the film for political reasons, while supporters argue that it highlights historical truths that deserve to be seen.
Trinamool Congress spokesperson Arup Chakraborty mocked the film’s performance and its makers during a press interaction. He said:
“The film has been released across the country, but people are not watching it. The director is crying. Recently, he even claimed that Arindam Chatterjee was Rabindranath Tagore’s brother. Later, they corrected it and said it was Arindam Tagore. Bengalis are lucky—they did not call BJP leader Anurag Thakur the son of Rabindranath Tagore.”
Chakraborty’s remarks underline the charged political atmosphere surrounding the film, which many see as an extension of ideological battles between the BJP and the TMC in the state.
Doubts Over Screening
Although the announcement has generated excitement among supporters of the BJP and cinephiles curious about the film, there is skepticism about whether the screening will go ahead as planned. BJP leader Sajal Ghosh expressed concern, noting that West Bengal authorities may obstruct the event.
“The event to screen the movie has been announced. But there is doubt whether the police will allow the exhibition. There is no law and order in the state. The movie was not allowed to be released in theatres here. Therefore, it is not clear whether it will be screened this time as well,” he said.
The possibility of intervention by local authorities raises uncertainty, although the organisers have not indicated any changes to their plan so far.
Significance of the Screening
The Kolkata screening of The Bengal Files goes beyond cinema—it is a cultural and political flashpoint. The choice of the National Library, a prestigious institution, adds symbolic weight to the event. The presence of Vivek Agnihotri and Pallavi Joshi is expected to draw prominent intellectuals, party members, and select audiences.
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For supporters, the screening represents a fight for cultural freedom and the right to showcase narratives that challenge mainstream interpretations of Bengal’s history. For critics, however, the event is seen as an attempt by the BJP to politicize art and use cinema as a tool for propaganda.
As the date approaches, all eyes are on Kolkata to see whether the special screening will proceed without interruption—or if it will become yet another flashpoint in Bengal’s ongoing political tussle.
