Netizens Divide Over Vivek Agnihotri’s The Bengal Files: Intense, Controversial Retelling Sparks Mixed X Reviews

Vivek Agnihotri’s new film, The Bengal Files, has set social media abuzz with sharply split opinions. Released in September 2025, the movie dives into the turbulent history of Bengal, showcasing major events like Direct Action Day and the fate of Hindus after partition. Some viewers on X (formerly Twitter) have labelled it painfully long and melodramatic, criticizing the direction and screenplay for being confusing and overly dramatic. They feel the story distorts history and props up propaganda rather than balanced storytelling. A number of critics even call it Agnihotri’s weakest work, despite strong acting from Anupam Kher, Mithun Chakraborty and Saswata Chatterjee.

On the other side, many have praised the film for its powerful emotional impact and hard-hitting depiction of forgotten events. They believe the movie brings an important chapter of Indian history to light and delivers raw, memorable performances. While the visuals and intensity are noted as strengths, some still feel the film is too graphic and could have benefited from tighter editing.

Overall, The Bengal Files is one of the year’s most talked-about films, inspiring passionate debate between those who see it as an essential history lesson and those who find it polarizing and problematic.