The Bengal Files Movie is a 2025 Hindi‑language political drama from writer‑director Vivek Agnihotri, the third film in his Files Trilogy after The Tashkent Files and The Kashmir Files, released theatrically on 5 September 2025. Set around the 1946 Direct Action Day, the Great Calcutta Killings, and Noakhali riots, the film dramatizes communal violence and its aftermath with a 204‑minute runtime and an adults‑only CBFC certificate.

Starring Mithun Chakraborty, Pallavi Joshi, Darshan Kumaar, Anupam Kher, and others, The Bengal Files blends historical events with a parallel investigative thread. Post cinema run, multiple reports indicate an expected OTT streaming debut on ZEE5 within a typical 4–8 week window, though the exact date is yet to be officially announced. Overall, The Bengal Files positions itself as a hard‑hitting historical retelling with strong performances and an ambitious canvas.

Storyline The Bengal Files Movie

The Bengal Files centers on the tragic events of Direct Action Day (16 August 1946) and the ensuing Great Calcutta Killings and Noakhali riots, framing them through a cinematic narrative that links history to personal and investigative arcs. Alongside this backdrop, a criminal investigation into a corruption case intertwines with reflections on pre‑Partition communal violence, connecting past trauma to present questions of justice and memory. The film argues that these chapters were long overlooked, presenting them in a stark, hard‑hitting format that emphasizes historical consequences.The Bengal Files

Cast & Characters The Bengal Files Movie

• Mithun Chakraborty — Madman/Chatur (key presence anchoring the period canvas).
• Pallavi Joshi — Maa Bharati (symbolic, ideological anchor).
• Darshan Kumaar — Shiva Pandit (narrative thread linking inquiry and conscience).
• Anupam Kher — Mahatma Gandhi (historical figure within the retelling).
• Saswata Chatterjee — Sardar Husseini, MLA (political dimension).
• Namashi Chakraborty — Ghulam Sarwar.
• Priyanshu Chatterjee — Justice Banerjee.
• Dibyendu Bhattacharya — Rajendra Lal Roychowdhary.
• Sourav Das — Gopal Patha.
• Mohan Kapur — H. S. Suhrawardy.
• The Bengal Files

Direction & Cinematography

Vivek Agnihotri directs Bengal Files with a confrontational, didactic style that foregrounds historical violence and moral urgency over subtlety, as echoed by early critical reactions. Attar Singh Saini’s cinematography supports expansive period staging and grim tableaux, accentuating the severity and scale of 1946’s events across the 204‑minute runtime. This approach creates a film that aims for impact through scale and intensity, even when it risks excess.

Positive & Negative Points

• Powerful performances elevate difficult material, with praise for veteran leads in The Bengal Files.
• Hard‑hitting portrayal of Direct Action Day and its aftermath delivers emotional impact and urgency in The Bengal Files.
• The 204‑minute length can feel stretched, with several critics calling The Bengal Files overlong or repetitive in stretches.
• Excess and melodramatic choices in The Bengal Files sometimes dilute nuance, according to prominent reviews.

Box Office Collection / Budget

The Bengal Files Movie opened in cinemas on 5 September 2025 across India, beginning its run amid significant public discourse and state‑level controversy reports. Early trade coverage reported a day‑1 opening of about ₹1.75 crore, lower than The Kashmir Files’ first‑day numbers, indicating a slower start for The Bengal Files. By day 2, media noted no significant growth with cumulative earnings under ₹5 crore, suggesting word‑of‑mouth and regional availability will be crucial for The Bengal Files.

OTT Release Date

Multiple reports indicate The Bengal Files will stream on ZEE5 after the theatrical window, consistent with the previous Files films, though no official streaming date has been announced yet. Typical industry windows suggest a 4–8 week gap before digital premiere, so an October–November 2025 arrival is plausible if The Bengal Files follows that pattern. Hindi outlets have echoed the ZEE5 expectation while noting that the exact OTT date remains pending for The Bengal Files.

Final Verdict / Rating

Early reviews describe The Bengal Files as ruthless and hard‑hitting but also stretched and excessive, crediting performances for holding the narrative together despite the 204‑minute length. For viewers interested in historical retellings and political dramas, The Bengal Files Movie offers intensity and scale, even if pacing and tonal balance divide critics. Expect debate more than consensus as The Bengal Files continues its theatrical and eventual OTT journey.

Note: This article avoids piracy; it does not provide or endorse any “movie download” links for The Bengal Files and focuses on factual, public information only.