Kolkata, August 16: A big controversy erupted in Kolkata on Saturday over the trailer launch program of the film The Bengal Files of filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri and his wife and actress-producer Pallavi Joshi. Kolkata Police behaved in front of the media in a way that no one had imagined.
Kolkata Police interrupted the program in the five-star hotel ITC Royal Bengal and cut off the electricity of the conference hall. Along with this, even the laptop being used to show the trailer of the film was confiscated. After this, Vivek Agnihotri was surrounded by the police in such a way that he could not even talk to the media. The situation was such that even senior officers of Kolkata Police climbed on the stage of the trailer launch.
Regarding this entire incident, Vivek Agnihotri accused the state government and the police of dictatorial attitude and said that “an attempt is being made to suppress the truth in Bengal at the behest of big powers.”
According to Vivek, he reached Kolkata from Mumbai late on Friday night. On Saturday morning, the trailer launch event of his new film was in a luxury hotel. This event was earlier going to be held in a multiplex, but due to “political pressure” the venue was changed. Everything was normal till morning, but as soon as the program started, a large number of policemen reached the hall and suddenly the power was cut off while showing the trailer.
Vivek said from the stage that the power of the conference room was cut off without any reason. A huge police force was present here since morning. We are not thieves and dacoits, we make films. I never thought that I would have to face such a situation while standing on the land of Satyajit Ray. If this is not dictatorship then what is it? If this is not fascism then what is it? He said that if the police arrest me then let them do so but I will continue the fight. This is Bengal.
Amidst this controversy, journalists wanted to talk to Vivek and Pallavi Joshi, but it is alleged that the police stopped them from even communicating with the media. Finally, both of them were taken out of the hotel under tight security. Vivek clearly said – Even if I am arrested, it does not matter to me. But it is true that dictatorial forces are working in Bengal which are afraid of showing the truth. This is Bengal! Here everything happens on signals. The truth is not allowed to be shown. We were harassed without any reason. This is not democracy, it is straight-up dictatorship.
At the same time, after this entire episode, no official statement has come from Kolkata Police or the state administration. Till afternoon, police officers kept avoiding commenting on this matter.