'The Bengal Files': Saswata Chatterjee says he is ‘not a historian,’ as he distances himself from the Vivek Agnuhotri directed film after trailer screening halts in Kolkata

'The Bengal Files,' directed by Vivek Agnihotri, has been in the news due to a controversy surrounding its historical accuracy, which reportedly led to the cancellation of its trailer launch in Kolkata. Amid the debate, actor Saswata Chatterjee has distanced himself from the film, stating he is an actor, not a historian, and is therefore not qualified to verify the story's historical claims.

Read on to learn more about what the actor has to say about 'The Bengal Files.'

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‘The Bengal Files’ Trailer Event Halted, Director Agnihotri Cites Law & Order Failure

Sawasta Chatterjee distances himself from ‘The Bengal Files’ controversy

In his recent interview with The Wall, the actor stated that he simply played a character he liked and that it is not his responsibility as an actor to verify historical accuracy. He added that if others believe the film distorts history or belittles Bengal, they should take legal action instead of just creating a fuss.

"I liked a character and I played it. I am not a historian to think about what history says, and this is distorting history. It's not my job. If those whose job it is feel that Bengal is being belittled, then they can go to court with the information. There is no point in just making noise," Chatterjee said.

Further distancing himself from the controversy, the actor added, “Let me tell you this. Nowadays, it's a trend; the whole story won't be told to anyone. You only get to know your track, your character. And when I was told about the role, I found the character to be amazing. It's a villain's character, and very few people get such characters to play."

Sawasta Chatterjee claims he had no idea about the title change

Saswata Chatterjee stated that he was unaware of the change in the film's title from 'Delhi Files' to 'The Bengal Files.' He mentioned that the name change was decided after filming was completed and was not within his control. He said he would not understand the reason behind the change until he saw the movie.

"I will not understand why it happened till I watch the film. And even if anyone thinks that...making a noise will not help," Chatterjee remarked.

‘The Bengal Files’ trailer launch row

Director Vivek Agnihotri claimed that the trailer launch of his movie was halted on Saturday. Amid his claims, a senior police officer told NDTV that Agnihotri didn’t have the required permission for the screening; thus, he violated the law.

About 'The Bengal Files'

'The Bengal Files' is an upcoming film directed by Vivek Agnihotri and marks the final part of his 'Files Trilogy' about modern Indian history. Following his earlier films, 'The Tashkent Files' (2019) and 'The Kashmir Files' (2022), this movie focuses on the events of the 1946 Great Calcutta killings. The film features Darshan Kumar, Pallavi Joshi, Simrat Kaur, Mithun Chakraborty, Anupam Kher, and Saswata Chatterjee, among others. It is scheduled to release on September 5, 2025.


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