“With a heavy heart, I reach out to you,” she wrote. “I seek not a favour for a film but space for art, for truth, for Maa Bharati’s soul to speak without fear.”
Image Source: Instagram/@pallavijoshiofficial
Actress and producer Pallavi Joshi has made an appeal to the President of India, Droupadi Murmu. In a long open letter shared on social media, she asked for protection of her constitutional right so that her upcoming film ‘The Bengal Files’ can have screenings in West Bengal.
The film, which is going to release on September 5, is the final part of what has come to be known as the ‘Files Trilogy’. The earlier films in the series ‘The Tashkent Files’ and ‘The Kashmir Files’ also sparked nationwide debate.
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With ‘The Bengal Files’, Joshi says she wants to bring out the “long-suppressed truth” of the Hindu genocide during Direct Action Day, the violence of Noakhali, and the pain of partition.
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Pallavi Joshi began her note by addressing President Murmu with deep respect, writing that she was not asking for favours but only for protection.
“With a heavy heart, I reach out to you,” she wrote. “I seek not a favour for a film but space for art, for truth, for Maa Bharati’s soul to speak without fear.”
In her letter, she claimed that the film is already facing challenges in West Bengal, even before its official release. According to her, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had mocked the project years ago. And since then, the makers have faced several hurdles.
Joshi pointed out that while there is no official order stopping the film, the West Bengal release is still facing obstacles. She said theatre owners are under pressure and fear violence if they screen the movie.
“There is no official ban, yet an unofficial ban silences the film before people can see it,” she wrote. “Theatre owners have told us they are being intimidated and threatened. Our trailer was blocked, newspapers refused to carry ads, and my family receives daily threats from political party workers.”
She called this atmosphere unfair and against the principles of democracy.
In her appeal, Joshi also highlighted that the film has strong backing from respected voices. Veteran actor Victor Banerjee, who holds the Padma Bhushan, has extended his support to the project. Along with him, several Bengali organisations both in India and abroad have already petitioned for the film’s release.
“Truth still has allies,” Joshi said. She stressed that the film is not just another story but a piece of history that deserves a place on the big screen.
The actress-producer described ‘The Bengal Files’ as more than just a film. To her, it is a voice for the nation itself. Calling it the “cry of Maa Bharati”.
Addressing President Murmu directly, Joshi wrote that as someone who has risen from humble beginnings to the highest constitutional office, only she can truly understand what it means to endure pain and transform it into purpose.
“This is cinema of truth,” Joshi added. “But truth also needs protection.”
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