New Delhi [India], August 20 : Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri took a dig at the Mamata government over the ruckus at the trailer launch of his upcoming movie 'The Bengal Files' in Kolkata, alleging that it was "already planned," and that no event of this scale, with 150-200 people and media present, could be halted without "official involvement."
The incident, which took place at the ITC Royal Bengal in Kolkata on August 16, saw the screening of the film's trailer abruptly stopped.
While speaking to ANI, Agnihotri shared that the trailer launch program was running smoothly before the visuals on a large LED screen were suddenly stopped. He stated that it was impossible for an event happening in "one of India's biggest five-star hotels," with "150-200 people" and media present, to be halted without official involvement. The director also said that he was informed that "top authorities" had raised objections to certain parts of the trailer, and hence, it could not be played.
"In one of India's biggest five-star hotels, imagine there is such a big LED screen, the whole program is running, the visuals are playing. And the entire media of Kolkata, 150-200 people, are sitting and running the program. Is it possible to do this without permission? It is not possible," the filmmaker told ANI.
"Look, governments in India have so many loopholes, and the government has so many powers. They can take anything out whenever they want...What happened was a man came and cut the wire.....It was already planned."
"I made a mistake. Many people were writing that they wouldn't let me stay here. The multiplex where we were planning to hold the event was cancelled. As soon as I landed at the airport, I found out that it was cancelled. We contacted another multiplex, and it was cancelled, too. They said that they wouldn't be able to survive politically if they showed the trailer here," he further said.
"So, this happened with the hotel. Same thing. I asked them, 'Who has refused?' They said, 'Top authorities.' That same reliable source then told me that they had a problem with a couple of things in the trailer, and that's why it was stopped," Agnihotri added.
When asked if he believes the film will release in Bengal, the filmmaker said he hopes the government will not "take away the rights of their own people." But if the release is blocked, Agnihotri said he trusts the "Constitution of India and the law of India," and would fight for the film's release if needed.
"I hope God gives them wisdom. And that they don't do such foolish things where they take away the rights of their own people. They shouldn't do that.
But if that happens, then I will say that I have a lot of faith in the Constitution of India and the law of India. And I will fight for it."
The film explores the communal violence in undivided Bengal during the 1940s, including events like the 1946 Direct Action Day and the Noakhali riots of 1946, a Hindu genocide.
The Bengal Files is slated to hit theatres on September 5.
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