Filmmaker Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri, best known for The Kashmir Files, has announced that the trailer of his upcoming film The Bengal Files will be launched in Kolkata on August 16, 2025. The choice of date is no coincidence — it marks the anniversary of Direct Action Day, a turning point in India’s pre-independence history.
On August 16, 1946, the Muslim League called for a protest to demand a separate Muslim homeland, Pakistan. What began as a demonstration in Calcutta soon spiraled into large-scale communal violence between Hindus and Muslims, leading to mass killings and destruction. Among the figures remembered from that day is Gopal Mukherjee, who, despite lacking political authority, mobilized local youth to defend Hindu communities against attacks.
Agnihotri explained the significance of choosing this date, saying, “We have chosen this day for the trailer launch, considering what happened on 16th August 1946 in Calcutta. While the protest by the Muslim League for a separate Muslim homeland escalated