Bollywood film director Vivek Agnihotri responds after the start of his controversial film “Bengal ensembles”, which was reportedly stopped by the police in Kolkata in West Bengal, August 16, 2025. Photo Credit: PTI
On Saturday (August 16, 2025), the political line broke out during the start of the Bengal Hotel at the Kalkata Hotel, while director Vivek Agnihotri claimed that screening was stopped in the middle during the event.
The event showed several police staff in Kolkata and Mr. Agnihotri was seen with them as they argued with them. “Why are you stopping the screening in the middle? If you had a problem, you could tell us this morning,” he said. Police staff also showed that it took a notebook used in screening.
Mr. Agnihotri, who said that all necessary authorizations were obtained, told the media persons that the voice of the filmmaker was suppressed in the country Satyajit Ray. “You can see how many police staff are as if we were thieves. CBFC (Central Council of Film Certification) stopped at a private place. This is nothing but dictatorship and fascism,” the director said.
Later on the day, Mr. Agnihotri took the social media and said that the screening of the film’s trailer was “illegally stopped” on the orders of the “best authorities”. “The first theaters, now even a private hotel. Who is afraid of the truths of the Hindu genocide? And why is democracy dead in the country of Tagore & Vivekananda,” he said.
Calcata Police in the incident did not exist any official answer, and the police staff present at the hotel said that only their higher officials could comment on this matter. According to the filmmaker, the Bengal ensembles deal with the “genocide in Calcutta” during the 40th century. The start of the trailer was scheduled for Saturday (August 16, 2025) to mark the day of direct action, when Calcutta witnessed municipal unrest.
Film politically motivated, says Trinamool
The Congress of Trinamool said that Mr. Agnihotri made films that were politically motivated and focused on creating divisions in society. “Why didn’t he shoot” Gujarat Files “and showed riots or” Uttar Pradesh files “or” Manipur files “.
He added that the filmmaker was not pushed out of the state because it was a democratic state and the country Satyajit Ray.
BJP, however, came to support the filmmaker. The Minister of the State Association Sukant Majumdar said that the event of the opening of the film’s trailer was “suddenly canceled, openly admitting with the theater chain that he acted under political pressure. Uncomfortable when he and his team tried to organize in a private hotel, it was also shocking sabotally!”.
Meanwhile, the leader of the opposition of Suvend Adhikari participated in the parade in Calcutta “In honor of the irritating spirit of those who stood against terrible municipal violence … During the big Calcutta killing, which began on August 16, 1946”.
Mr. Adhikari also told the role of Gopal Chandry Mukthopathyaya, who “resisted oppression and forced the perpetrators to retreat”.
Published – 16 August 2025 17:18
