Filmmaker Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri, best known for The Kashmir Files, has announced that the trailer of his upcoming film The Bengal Files will be launched in Kolkata on August 16, 2025. The choice of date is no coincidence — it marks the anniversary of Direct Action Day, a turning point in India’s pre-independence history.
Vivek Agnihotri launches The Bengal Files trailer on Direct Action Day in Kolkata – Here’s why the date matters
On August 16, 1946, the Muslim League called for a protest to demand a separate Muslim homeland, Pakistan. What began as a demonstration in Calcutta soon spiraled into large-scale communal violence between Hindus and Muslims, leading to mass killings and destruction. Among the figures remembered from that day is Gopal Mukherjee, who, despite lacking political authority, mobilized local youth to defend Hindu communities against attacks.
Agnihotri explained the significance of choosing this date, saying, “We have chosen this day for the trailer launch, considering what happened on 16th August 1946 in Calcutta. While the protest by the Muslim League for a separate Muslim homeland escalated massively and led to the genocide of many Hindus, Gopal Mukherjee stood as a wall in defense of Hindus. So, as a tribute to them and to highlight the current scenario in Kolkata, we have decided this.”
Speaking about The Bengal Files, formerly titled The Delhi Files: The Bengal Chapter, the film is the third and final part of Agnihotri’s Files Trilogy after The Tashkent Files (2019) and The Kashmir Files (2022). The series explores events from modern Indian history that Agnihotri believes have been overlooked or misrepresented.
The Bengal Files focuses on the communal violence that shook undivided Bengal during the 1940s. It specifically portrays Direct Action Day and the Noakhali riots of 1946, which have been described as a Hindu genocide. The film will be released in two parts. The first installment, titled The Bengal Files: Right to Life, is scheduled for release on September 5, 2025, coinciding with Teachers’ Day in India.
Agnihotri has said in the past that the film was initially called The Delhi Files to emphasise his belief that “the destiny of India is written in Delhi and not in Bengal.” However, with the shift in focus, the project now directly engages with Bengal’s turbulent history.
With its trailer launch planned on the very day that history unfolded, The Bengal Files aims to revive conversations around one of the most violent chapters in India’s independence struggle, while drawing parallels with present-day concerns.
Also Read: The Bengal Files trailer to be launched with War 2 and Coolie in theatres
More Pages: The Bengal Files Box Office Collection
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