The Bengal Files is a 2025 Indian Hindi-language political drama film directed and written by Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri. It serves as the third and final installment in Agnihotri’s “Files Trilogy,” which explores controversial episodes in modern Indian history.

The previous films in the series are The Tashkent Files (2019) and The Kashmir Files (2022). This film focuses on the violence during Direct Action Day (also known as the Great Calcutta Killings) and the Noakhali riots in 1946, portraying these events as a targeted “Hindu genocide” in Bengal during the lead-up to India’s Partition.

The movie runs for 204 minutes, making it one of the longest Indian films ever released. It received an A (adults only) certification from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) due to its depiction of extreme violence and gory content. Agnihotri has described the film as a “soul-shattering” retelling of “untold truths” about Bengal’s past, emphasizing themes of human dignity, communal strife, and the lingering impacts of Partition.

The Bengal Files Summary

The story follows a Kashmiri Pandit CBI officer (played by Darshan Kumar) who investigates the disappearance of a journalist in present-day Bengal. Haunted by his mother’s experiences during the 1947 genocide, he uncovers a web of communal mafias silencing historical truths.

His allies include a mute eunuch and a senile witness to the Partition riots. As the narrative unfolds, it questions whether the scars of Partition have truly healed or if Bengal risks becoming “the next Kashmir.” The film blends historical reenactments of the 1946 riots with contemporary intrigue, highlighting figures like freedom fighter Gopal Chandra Mukherjee (Gopal Patha).

Cast and Crew

• Director/Writer: Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri
• Producers: Abhishek Agarwal, Pallavi Joshi, Tej Narayan
• Key Cast:
  • Mithun Chakraborty as Madan Chandra (a key historical figure)
  • Anupam Kher
  • Pallavi Joshi
  • Darshan Kumar
  • Saswata Chatterjee
  • Simrat Kaur
  • Puneet Issar
  • Others: Sourav Das, Eklavya Sood, Rajesh Khera

The film was announced in April 2022, shortly after the success of The Kashmir Files. It was initially titled The Delhi Files: The Bengal Chapter to underscore Agnihotri’s view that “the destiny of India is written in Delhi,” but was renamed to focus on Bengal for better audience clarity.

The film has sparked political debate. Agnihotri accused the Trinamool Congress (TMC)-led West Bengal government of pressuring theatres to avoid screenings, leading to its first Kolkata showing on September 13, 2025, at the National Library under central security—attended mostly by BJP supporters.

The TMC dismissed it as “propaganda” aimed at stirring communal divisions. The Calcutta High Court rejected a petition challenging the portrayal of Gopal Patha. Agnihotri vowed legal action against any bans in Bengal.