Pallavi Joshi knows how to make films that spark conversations. Her latest movie, ‘The Bengal Files’, is stirring up quite a storm even before its release. In a recent chat with Amar Ujala, the actress and filmmaker shared her thoughts on the controversy. She spoke openly about the film’s journey and the challenges it faces.
Joshi is known in cinema for more than just her acting. She brings real-world issues to the screen with honesty. After ‘The Tashkent Files’ and ‘The Kashmir Files’, her new project takes on another serious topic. This film is already facing opposition.
She doesn’t pay much attention to critics who don’t respect her work. Her main focus is always her audience. She believes her past films proved that people will come to watch, no matter the debate. For example, ‘The Kashmir Files’ revealed hard truths. Many found it uncomfortable. Yet, the film trended widely, showing it resonated with what people secretly felt.
When events in Kashmir happened, Joshi was a young actress. She was only 20 or 23 years old. She wasn’t a filmmaker then. Now, with the truth out, her goal is to prevent similar tragedies. This thinking led her to create ‘The Bengal Files’. People have the right to their opinions. Her job is to bring facts to light and start important discussions.
The idea for such sensitive films began in 2012. Joshi and Vivek Agnihotri were simply talking at home. People often say things should change, but few take action. In that moment, they decided to be the ones to start. They aimed to make films about three core democratic rights. These are the Right to Truth, the Right to Justice, and the Right to Life.
‘The Tashkent Files’ was their first film. It focused on the Right to Truth, looking into the mystery of Shastri’s death. Next came ‘The Kashmir Files’, exploring the Right to Justice. This film depicted the suffering of Kashmiri Pandits. Now, ‘The Bengal Files’ centers on the Right to Life.
Research for ‘The Bengal Files’ picked up speed during the 2020 lockdown. They spent five years gathering information. Dozens of drafts were written. The final story is one they truly believe in. Their goal has always been to show the truth. Some call their work propaganda. However, they simply want to share facts that often stay hidden from the public.
– Photo: Amar Ujala
Some politicians and groups in Bengal have opposed the film. They even tried to stop its screenings. Joshi stays away from deep political matters. She finds them too complicated. Yet, she won’t stay silent when directly attacked. The incidents at the trailer launch and private events were truly unfortunate. First, theater permissions were canceled. Then, police entered a private event without reason. Many female journalists were there. Their safety was not considered. The atmosphere became very uncomfortable. Vivek had to take her out.
This opposition is not new. It began as early as 2022-23. They expected problems at the trailer launch. But they didn’t think the trailer itself would be stopped. Making a film takes years of hard work and emotion. Stopping it like this is deeply disappointing. Now, her full attention is on the film’s release. She wants the audience to see the truth with their own eyes.
– Photo: Instagram@pallavijoshiofficial
Pallavi Joshi also acted in the film ‘Tanvi The Great’. For ‘The Bengal Files’, directed by Vivek Agnihotri, she plays a 100-year-old woman. The movie is set to release on September 5, 2025.