The Bengal Files Row: Gopal Mukherjee’s Grandson Files FIR Against Vivek Agnihotri

Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri’s upcoming political drama The Bengal Files has landed in fresh controversy after Shantanu Mukherjee, grandson of freedom fighter Gopal Mukherjee—popularly known as Gopal Patha—lodged an FIR against the director, accusing him of distorting history and disrespecting his family’s legacy.

Shantanu alleges that Agnihotri’s teaser misrepresents his grandfather by describing him as “Ek Tha Kasai Gopal Patha”. The word Kasai—meaning butcher—has sparked outrage within the Mukherjee family, who argue that the portrayal reduces Gopal Patha to a caricature.

“My grandfather was not a butcher. He was a wrestler, a freedom fighter, and a member of the Anushilan Samiti who followed Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s ideology. He organized protection during the 1946 riots when the administration collapsed. Calling him ‘Kasai’ is deeply disrespectful,” Shantanu said in a statement.

The family has accused Agnihotri of failing to consult them during the film’s research phase. Alongside the FIR, Shantanu has issued a legal notice demanding a public apology and immediate corrections in the film’s portrayal, citing “immense emotional hurt” caused by the misrepresentation.

Gopal Patha remains a controversial but significant figure in Bengal’s history, remembered for mobilizing groups to defend Hindus during communal clashes in Calcutta in 1946. While some accounts highlight his role as a strongman, local historians stress his contributions as a community protector when state authorities were absent.

The fresh complaint compounds existing hurdles for The Bengal Files, which has already faced multiple FIRs and political opposition in West Bengal. Directed by Agnihotri and produced under the banners of GMB Entertainment, A+S Movies, and Srichakraas Entertainments, the film features Mithun Chakraborty, Pallavi Joshi, Anupam Kher, Simratt Kaur, and Darshan Kumarr.

Slated for release on September 5, 2025, the film is positioned as part of Agnihotri’s Files trilogy—following The Tashkent Files (2019) and The Kashmir Files (2022). But the storm over Gopal Patha’s depiction has cast a shadow over its premiere, raising questions about artistic liberty versus historical accountability.