Entertainment Desk, 10 September, 2025
The Bengal Files movie review: Director Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri tries to recreate one of the darkest chapters of Bengal’s history. The film claims to show the events of Direct Action Day in 1946. But what we finally see is a confused, stretched-out film that struggles to keep focus.
Bengal before Independence on screen
The film takes us to 1946 Calcutta. On one side is Mahatma Gandhi. On the other is Muhammad Ali Jinnah. The British are leaving India, but tensions are rising. The Muslim League is demanding Pakistan. The police force is silent. Riots break out. Thousands die in what history calls the Great Calcutta Killings.
Many sources record that Gopal Chandra Mukherjee, also known as Gopal Patha, played a key role in saving Calcutta. But in the film, his role is small. He mobilises men and shouts “if they kill one, you kill ten”. Then he disappears. History shows that he also saved many Muslims. That important detail is missing from the script.
Story shifts between past and present
The Bengal Files is not only about 1946. It also jumps to present-day Bengal. An IPS officer, played by Darshan Kumar, is asked to investigate a missing woman in Murshidabad. His probe brings back memories of the riots. Pallavi Joshi plays an older woman, who once saw the horrors of 1946. She is accused in the case but also becomes the voice of “Ma Bharati”.
The narrative mixes speeches about Bengal’s pride, India’s unity, and the dangers of religion-based politics. But the links between the missing girl case and Partition riots feel forced.
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Characters and performances
Mithun Chakraborty plays a former cop, shown as a broken man who once tried to fight the system. His role reflects the fate of those who resist. Pallavi Joshi brings emotion but her character is over-written. Darshan Kumar works hard but is made into a messenger of the director’s voice.
Namashi Chakraborty plays Ghulam Sarwar Husseini, the butcher of Bengal in the 1940s. Saswata Chatterjee plays his modern version, Sardar Husseini, a politician accused of helping illegal immigrants for votes. Anupam Kher appears as Gandhi but is shown as weak and helpless.
Most performances are loud and exaggerated. Subtlety is missing.
Violence without pause
The film does not hold back on disturbing visuals. Women are shown hanging on hooks in slaughterhouses. Men are shown being cut into two. These images may shock, but after a point they numb the viewer. The question remains: are these scenes used to show history or to create fear?
Political overtones
The film clearly links Bengal’s past with today’s politics. It talks of “vote banks”, “changed demographics”, and “illegal immigrants”. These are issues that are part of election campaigns in Bengal even today. By underlining them again and again, the film feels less like history and more like political commentary.
The timing is also important. Bengal assembly elections are near. The film’s release seems planned to fuel current debates rather than to only tell a story.
Direction and writing
Vivek Agnihotri earlier directed The Kashmir Files, which created huge debate. With The Bengal Files, he follows the same path. The script gives long speeches. The editing allows scenes to stretch far too long. At three and a half hours, the film feels endless.
The story does not stay centred. It moves from riots, to present politics, to individual tragedies, and back again. The result is a film that lacks grip.
What works and what does not
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The recreation of Calcutta streets in the 1940s is impressive.
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The subject of Direct Action Day is strong and rarely explored.
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Mithun Chakraborty brings some weight even in a limited role.
But negatives are far greater:
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Weak writing and stretched execution.
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Too much violence with little balance.
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History shown in one-sided way.
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Characters speak more like campaigners than real people.
Final verdict
Cinema can and should revisit difficult history. It should make us think. But it should not only inflame. The Bengal Files had a powerful story to tell. Instead, it loses its way in confusion, excess, and political messaging.
The Bengal Files movie rating: 0.5 stars
The Bengal Files movie details
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Director: Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri
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Cast: Mithun Chakraborty, Pallavi Joshi, Darshan Kumar, Namashi Chakraborty, Anupam Kher, Simrat Kaur, Saswata Chatterjee, Priyanshu Chatterjee, Dibyendu Bhattacharya, Sourav Das, Mohan Kapur, Rajesh Khera, Puneet Issar, Palomi Ghosh
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Duration: 3 hours 30 minutes
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Language: Hindi
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Genre: Historical drama
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Release Date: September 5, 2025
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