The US premiere of The Bengal Files, the latest film by National Award-winning director Vivek Agnihotri and produced by Award-winning actress and producer Pallavi Joshi, was held on July 20, 2025, at the AMC Theatres in Tysons Corner, Virginia. The movie is set to release in India on September 5.
Addressing a full house before the screening, Agnihotri shared a personal note with the audience, saying, “My wife’s [Pallavi Joshi] family lives in the DC area, and now all of you are like our extended family. I know so many people personally by now, and you also know me through my films.”
He called the inaugural weekend a “delight,” highlighting the back-to-back premieres – first in New Jersey on July 19, followed by the sold-out Virginia event. The screening was hosted by HinduACTion and the Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora (GKPD).
“Whatever I have to say, I’ve already said in the film,” Agnihotri remarked. He noted that even he was unaware of much of the history portrayed in the movie until he began researching the subject.
“So, four years ago, when lockdown was announced in India and we were sitting at home, my research team started researching a variety of topics. And one thing I realized for the first time, despite being so aware and educated, I didn’t know enough about Direct Action Day.”
He admitted to being surprised by how little-known the events were, even in Bengal itself. “There are so many uncovered truths that have been covered up in our country,” he said, adding that the story became something he felt compelled to share. “Bengal is again the playground of this divisive communal politics. So, we thought, let’s probe it and present it to the world.”
Agnihotri described the film as the final installment in his trilogy: The Tashkent Files explored the Right to Truth, The Kashmir Files the Right to Justice, and The Bengal Files the Right to Life.
Speaking exclusively to South Asian Herald, Agnihotri explained the rationale behind premiering the film in the US. “My strategy is to use my films as a form of soft power and take them to the world before releasing them commercially in India. The Kashmir Files became such a big conversation because of the people in the US. So, I owe it to them.”
He added, “If it becomes a point of conversation here in the US, then it becomes a point of conversation all over the world. Our intention is to create awareness about Direct Action Day and India’s partition.”
When asked about the overarching message of his trilogy, Agnihotri said that in a democracy, truth, justice, and life are paramount. “So, it is important to wake up the three lions in the Indian emblem – truth, justice, and life,” he added.
Looking ahead, Agnihotri said he had not decided on his next project. “I need a little break. I’ve been making these traumatizing films, and I am very traumatized myself.”
Reflecting on India’s historical struggles, he said, “We always say somebody invaded and that we were colonized. But I didn’t have this idea that we were the only society in the world where our civilization, culture, and literature were also destroyed – making us slaves and persecuting us.”
He drew a parallel with other communities, asking, a Jewish child knows about the Holocaust, and a Sikh child knows about 1984 Golden Temple massacre. “Why don’t we know about our own history?,” he asked placing the blame on the country’s education system and intellectual elite for failing to tell these stories.
Calling The Bengal Files a deeply personal film, Agnihotri said, “This is my voice. We felt very pained, and we felt very angry.”
Producer and lead actress Pallavi Joshi also spoke with South Asian Herald, emphasizing that “this piece of history was kept away from us.” “We always discuss these issues in our living rooms, wondering why no one is doing anything. So, we decided to do something. We’ve made three films, putting our lives at risk,” she said.
Joshi lamented that Indian history books fail to cover significant events like Direct Action Day, the Hindu genocide in Kashmir, ULFA insurgency, and border issues. “Why can’t our children understand that there is a war happening within the state of India? These things are too political to be told to the common man. And the common man is becoming collateral damage,” she said.
Speaking about production challenges, Joshi revealed they were unable to shoot in Bengal due to safety concerns. “Our team was heckled, harassed, and threatened with arrest during our research trip.” As a result, all scenes – including the 1946-era Calcutta, CBI offices, Delhi, and Hindu Mahasabha offices – were recreated on expansive movie sets in Mud Island, Mumbai.
She added that building the sets took four months and involved massive coordination, with a crew of 350 people working daily and up to 1,000 on some days. “It was a great exercise in people management. We also paid special attention to sound design and costumes, which helped recreate the era authentically.”
Mohan Sapru, the chief organizer of the premiere in Washington DC, and US coordinator for GKPD, told South Asian Herald, “We are excited to have a 300-seat packed auditorium. People are deeply affected by the film. Our goal is to educate people about the true history, not the distorted version that’s often taught.”
Executive Director of HinduACTion, Utsav Chakrabarti, shared that his organization supported the premiere because the story reflects his own family’s history.
“The movie is a historical documentation that has been dramatized. What’s most powerful is that it’s a continuing history – what happened then is still happening in parts of Bengal and Bangladesh today,” Chakrabarti told South Asian Herald.
Audience members were also moved. Archana Thakker from Maryland told South Asian Herald, “The film was deeply moving, with its compelling narrative and meticulous historical accuracy. It powerfully highlighted the violence and Hindu cleansing that occurred in the months leading up to Independence.”
Founder of the South Asian Business Council of Virginia, Aparna Madireddi told South Asian Herald, “I watched the movie with great interest and was impressed by the way it brought history to life. The storytelling was incredible and gripping. I commend both Vivek Agnihotri and Pallavi Joshi.”
