If Kashmir Files Shocked You, The Bengali Files Will Haunt You, Says Abhishek Agarwal
Abhishek Agarwal has once again teamed up with acclaimed Bollywood filmmaker Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri for a high-profile, hard-hitting film titled The Bengal Files.
Noted producer Abhishek Agarwal has once again teamed up with acclaimed Bollywood filmmaker Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri for a high-profile, hard-hitting film titled The Bengal Files. “If The Kashmir Files shocked audiences, The Bengal Files will haunt them for a long time due to its intense emotional depth,” says Agarwal, describing the film as a realistic and gripping entertainer.
The production team has already shared archival newspaper clippings featuring headlines like “5,00,000 Muslims Gathered in the Largest Ever Muslim Assembly for the Direct Action Day” on August 16, 1946. “We are not exaggerating — we are telling the truth about what really happened during those black days,” explains Agarwal. “We have extensive material to support our narrative, including newspaper cuttings, video testimonies from survivors, and other historical evidence. Our films aren’t based on fiction, but grounded in research and real-life analysis. For instance, I can reveal that media printing was shut down for four days back then, which shows how alarming and chaotic the situation was.”
On speculation that the film’s budget has exceeded ₹60 crore, Agarwal remains tight-lipped but hints at the scale of the production. “I can’t share exact figures, but it’s one of our most expensive ventures. We’ve erected an enormous set — an 8-acre replica of 1940s Bengal on Madh Island in Mumbai. Being a period drama, we had to source vintage props, artifacts, and create historically accurate settings. Cost was never a constraint because we are committed to authenticity.”
As a Telugu producer known for backing films like Karthikeya 2 and Tiger Nageswara Rao, Agarwal is making deeper inroads into Hindi cinema. “I share a strong bond with National Award-winning director Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri. We’ve previously collaborated on impactful films like The Kashmir Files and The Vaccine War. Now we’re back with The Bengal Files, which is shaping up to be our boldest cinematic venture yet.”
He also hints that The Bengal Files could be released as a two-part series and is scheduled for a grand worldwide release on August 15, 2025, coinciding with India’s Independence Day.
On his upcoming Telugu projects, he adds, “We have Goodachari 2 with Adivi Sesh and several other films in the pipeline. All our projects will be grounded in thorough research and storytelling integrity,” he concludes.