Vivek Agnihotri’s New Film, The Bengal Files, Gets Censor Approval
Director Vivek Agnihotri, known for impactful films like The Tashkent Files, The Kashmir Files, and The Vaccine War, is set to release his latest project, The Bengal Files. The film has already secured its censor certification, garnering attention for its content and the changes made during the approval process.
Initially, the film did not pass the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) Examining Committee. It was later reviewed by the Reviving Committee (RC), which approved it with specific modifications. Among these changes, the makers were asked to remove derogatory language towards the transgender community, replacing it with more respectful terms. Additionally, some images of public figures were altered, and supporting documentation was provided to back the historical depictions included in the film. Consent forms from the parents of child actors were also submitted, and the disclaimer for the film was emphasized through larger font and voiceover.
After these revisions, The Bengal Files received an ‘A’ rating from the CBFC. The film’s total running time is 204 minutes and 30 seconds, making it approximately 3 hours and 24 minutes long. The censor certificate was delivered to the filmmakers on June 25, 2025.
In late August, the filmmakers approached the CBFC again to make further voluntary changes in 29 scenes. They revised dialogues, added and removed elements from specific scenes, and modified text in various segments. Notably, the phrase “100 years old” was changed to “An old woman who has dementia,” along with several adjustments to visuals and narrative content.
Through these edits, the total runtime slightly increased to 204 minutes and 32 seconds. The Bengal Files is now the longest Bollywood film in recent memory, surpassing Animal by one minute and exceeding the theatrical version of Pushpa 2 by four minutes. The film boasts a strong cast, including Mithun Chakraborty, Darshan Kumaar, Pallavi Joshi, and Saswata Chatterjee, and is set to hit theaters on September 5.
