Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri just dropped the teaser for The Bengal Files today, June 12, 2025, at 12 PM IST, and I’ve got to say—it’s giving me chills! This is the third film in his “Files” trilogy, after The Tashkent Files and The Kashmir Files, and it’s diving deep into Bengal’s dark history. It’s set to hit theaters on September 5, 2025, and if the teaser’s anything to go by, The Bengal Files: Right to Life is going to be another emotional rollercoaster from a director who’s all about tackling tough topics.
The teaser, which you can check out on YouTube, grabs you right away. It’s got these raw, heavy visuals that set such a dark vibe—classic Agnihotri style! The part that really hit me was at the end: there’s an image of Goddess Durga’s idol burning, which feels so powerful and kind of haunting. It’s hinting at the communal unrest in undivided Bengal back in the 1940s, a time Agnihotri says has been totally ignored. We also got a glimpse of Mithun Chakraborty as a rugged Indian soldier, reciting the Preamble of the Indian Constitution with a burnt tongue—talk about a gut-punch! It’s clear this film’s going to dig into some serious trauma and the fight for justice.
Agnihotri, who wrote and co-produced the film with Abhishek Agarwal and Pallavi Joshi, is known for telling stories that hit hard. The Kashmir Files was a huge deal, though it stirred up some controversy, and The Tashkent Files got people talking about Lal Bahadur Shastri’s death. Now, The Bengal Files looks like it’s following that same vibe, with a teaser tagline that says, “If Kashmir hurt you, Bengal will haunt you.” That’s a big promise! The cast is pretty amazing too—Mithun Chakraborty, Anupam Kher, Pallavi Joshi, and Darshan Kumar are all on board, and I bet they’re going to bring a lot of heart to this story.
I found it interesting how this film came together. It was originally called The Delhi Files: The Bengal Chapter, but just a couple of days ago on June 10, Agnihotri changed the name to The Bengal Files. He said he’d planned a two-part story—one part about Delhi, the other about Bengal—but decided to focus just on Bengal for this one. I get why he’d zoom in on Bengal, especially with the teaser’s focus, but I’m kind of curious if we’ll miss out on the bigger picture he had in mind.
I’m really looking forward to this, but I’ve got a few questions too. Agnihotri’s all about showing “unsaid truths,” and I love that he’s shining a light on a forgotten part of Bengal’s history. The teaser’s emotional punch, especially with the Durga idol, is going to hit home for a lot of people who feel connected to Bengal’s culture. But his films can be pretty intense and sometimes feel one-sided—The Kashmir Files got a lot of love but also some flak for that reason. I’m hoping The Bengal Files gives a more balanced take, even if it’s meant to shake us up.
The September 5 release date seems like a good spot—it’s going up against Baaghi 4, but it dodged a bigger clash with War 2 and Coolie by moving from the Independence Day slot. Smart move! It’s presented by Tej Narayan Agarwal and I Am Buddha Productions, and there’s talk it might stream on ZEE5 after theaters, though nothing’s confirmed yet.
For now, the teaser’s got me hooked—I can’t wait to see more! Agnihotri knows how to get you thinking and feeling all at once, and with a cast this strong and a story about Bengal’s tough past, The Bengal Files could be another big win for him. But I’ll be keeping an eye out to see if it’s more than just a heavy emotional hit. September 5 can’t come fast enough!