Trailer launch of controversial film 'The Bengal Files' stopped by Kolkata Police, claims Vivek Agnihotri

Kolkata: The Kolkata Police on Saturday stopped the trailer launch of 'The Bengal Files' based on the 1946 Calcutta Riots, its director Vivek Agnihotri claimed.

The trailer of the controversial film was slated to be screened at a five-star hotel in the metropolis in the afternoon.

Police personnel present at the venue refused to comment on the issue.

Agnihotri, however, alleged that it was an attack on the democratic rights of people, as the censor board had cleared the film and “the Calcutta High Court stayed a ban on it”.

The screening of the trailer was first stopped by a representative of the hotel around 1 pm, who said that permission had been granted for only a press conference, he said.

As the trailer was shown again a little later, “suddenly five-six Kolkata Police officers entered the banquet hall where the programme was being held and stopped the screening midway,” the director claimed.

The filmmaker was also seen engaged in a heated argument with the police personnel and a hotel staff.

Agnihotri alleged that the screening was stopped at the behest of the ruling Trinamool Congress and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and that her party leaders also threatened the hotel management to halt the trailer midway.

Addressing reporters, Agnihotri asserted that ‘The Bengal Files’, “which is based on facts and has passed the censor hurdle”, is being prevented from screening by “the person who is at the helm of the administration in Bengal”.

Asked if he meant Banerjee, he said, "Yes, you are right."

“The trailer is now being seen all over the country, but since it is based in Bengal, we wanted its launch here. They don't want the atrocities on Bengali Hindus in 1946 and the fightback of people like Gopal Mukherjee to be shown in cinema. If it is a part of history, do you want to change history?" he told reporters.

"There can be only one reason behind such a move, to ignore the conspiracy to divide Bengal again. I wish to believe this government is not anti-Hindu," Agnihotri said.

‘The Bengal Files’ delves into the communal violence in undivided Bengal during the 1940s.

The film is scheduled to release in theatres on September 5.

The producer of the film Abhisshek Agarwal later told PTI that "no force can stop us to release the film on September 5.".

"We are taking advice from legal experts. The trailer launch programme had no legal hurdles. We will move the court soon after today's development," he said.