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The Bengal Files Twitter review: Vivek Agnihotri film divides; some hail ‘masterpiece’, others dismiss as ‘propaganda’
The Bengal Files Twitter review: The Bengal Files is about the Partition of Bengal with references to the communal violence at the time.
The Bengal Files Twitter review: Vivek Agnihotri’s latest film, The Bengal Files, has sparked a powerful wave of reactions on Twitter. A section of the audience is calling it one of the hardest-hitting cinematic experiences of 2025. But there are others who seem to be dismissing it as hollow and biased. Following its theatrical release, viewers have flooded the platform with emotionally charged reviews, both praising and criticising it for its depiction of the horrors of Direct Action Day.
Viewers call the film gut-wrenching
Calling it a “gut-wrenching cinematic experience,” one user wrote, “#TheBengalFiles dares to bring alive the horrors of Direct Action Day (1946) with raw intensity, outstanding storytelling, and jaw-dropping sequences.”
“The Bengal Files Movie Review: Vivek Agnihotri’s Hard-Hitting Reality, Shocking Truths Revealed! Experience the most controversial and powerful film of 2025! The Bengal Files by Vivek Agnihotri . #TheBengalFiles,” wrote another social media user.
Another viewer echoed the sentiment. “TheBengalFiles is another outstanding film by director #VivekRanjanAgnihotri after #TheKashmirFiles. Superb writing, performances and heartwrenching film for the Indians,” wrote the user.
Praise for performances
The film is being praised for its storytelling that exposes dark truths that have been left out of mainstream history books. “We were never taught this in school. Watching it made me realise how naïve we are as a society—ready to destroy our own for foreign ideologies,” read one post.
The performances also garnered widespread acclaim. Simrat Kaur, who plays Bharathi Banerjee, was singled out for delivering the “performance of a lifetime,” while Namashi Chakraborty, Mithun Chakraborty, and Pallavi Joshi were lauded for their impactful roles.
Some call it propaganda
But there were many who did not like the film, calling it biased, labelling it propaganda. “The Bengal Files mixes history with drama. Direct Action Day was complex, affecting multiple communities. Dramatizing real figures one-sidedly risks misleading viewers, fictionalizing events, and turning history into political propaganda, need more reasons?” wrote one on Twitter. Another added, “The Kashmir Files & Bengal Files are based on pure religious and hate propaganda.”
The Bengal Files controversy
The controversy erupted ahead of its release, especially in West Bengal, when Agnihotri claimed that theatres were refusing to screen the film, allegedly due to political pressure. Producer and actor Pallavi Joshi even wrote an open letter to the President of India, claiming an "unofficial ban" in the state, despite there being no formal censor board objections.
The Bengal Files features an ensemble cast led by Mithun Chakraborty alongside Anupam Kher and Pallavi Joshi, who also produced the film. Darshan Kumarr and Simrat Kaur play key roles. The cast also includes Saswata Chatterjee, Namashi Chakraborty, Rajesh Khera, Puneet Issar, Priyanshu Chatterjee, Dibyendu Bhattacharya, Sourav Das, and Mohan Kapur.
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