A group of demonstrators, reportedly linked to Hindu outfits, staged a peaceful protest outside Rupkotha Cinema in the Habra, North 24 Parganas district, on Saturday, urging the theatre to screen Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri's 'The Bengal Files', which dramatises the 1946 Calcutta Killings.

The protesters, waving the tricolour and film posters but no political flags, highlighted the movie's absence from West Bengal screens despite its nationwide release on August 5. Director Agnihotri, in an X post, hailed the action: "Finally, Bengalis in Bengal are protesting at cinema halls against the unofficial ban of #TheBengalFiles," alleging political intimidation by the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) as the cause.

A district police officer confirmed the demonstration was non-violent. A film distributor for Bengal and the northeast explained to PTI that state regulations prioritising prime slots for Bengali films, combined with high demand for Bollywood and Hollywood releases, left no room for 'The Bengal Files' in multiplexes or single screens.

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The film revisits the communal violence of August 1946, sparked by the Muslim League's 'Direct Action Day', resulting in widespread casualties. TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh dismissed it as "propaganda" aimed at societal division to advance the BJP's agenda.

Featuring stars like Mithun Chakraborty, Anupam Kher, Pallavi Joshi, Saswata Chatterjee, Darshan Kumarr, and Sourav Das, the movie has sparked debate on historical narratives and censorship, with Agnihotri's claims amplifying calls for unrestricted screenings in the state.

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