'Kesari 2', 'The Bengal Files' under fire as TMC slams makers of both movies
The TMC flayed the makers of Kesari Chapter 2, accusing them of distorting the history of the state's contribution to India’s freedom struggle and insulting Bengali revolutionaries
Two movies – Akshay Kumar's Kesari Chapter 2 and Vivek Agnihotri’s The Bengal Files – have courted controversy in West Bengal. Of these, Kesari 2 has been in the eye of a social media storm for reportedly distorting the names of freedom fighters who hailed from Bengal.
In a short film clip that has been widely shared on X (formerly Twitter), Akshay Kumar is seen using the name of Khudiram Bose as Khudiram Singh. Released in April, the period drama highlights India's freedom struggle against the British regime and was recently released on Netflix.
Freedom fighters ‘insulted’
Speaking to the media, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said, “Bengali freedom fighters have been insulted in the film. Khudiram Bose has been changed to Khudiram Singh. What is this? The basic facts and names have been distorted. Bengal's history of the freedom struggle and the history of freedom fighters have been insulted in a planned manner. We are strongly opposing and condemning this. Akshay Kumar and the unit should apologise for this. Some people are talking about taking legal action, and that's rightly expected.”
The TMC flayed the makers of Kesari Chapter 2, accusing them of distorting the history of the state's contribution to India’s freedom struggle and insulting Bengali revolutionaries. An FIR has been filed against seven producers of Kesari Chapter 2 under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at the Bidhannagar South police station.
Deliberate distortion
The controversy erupted over a scene in the movie that allegedly misrepresents key freedom fighters from Bengal — notably the iconic Bengali revolutionaries Khudiram Bose and Barindra Kumar Ghosh.
According to the TMC, the film refers to Khudiram Bose as “Khudiram Singh” and presents Barindra Kumar Ghosh as “Birendra Kumar” from Amritsar.
Calling it a “deliberate distortion of history” and a “deep insult to Bengal,” senior TMC leaders Kunal Ghosh and Arup Chakraborty addressed a press conference at the party headquarters, condemning the portrayal. However, there has been no response from either the filmmaker or the actors regarding this uproar in West Bengal.
Agnihotri under fire
Meanwhile, TMC Youth Wing has filed a police complaint against filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri's upcoming film The Bengal Files. The complaint against the director & producers of the film states – “The film's ulterior motive is to trigger communal unrest in the state.” The film is slated to release on September 5.
The BJP, however, claimed that the TMC is trying to make an issue out of a non-issue. “At times in feature films, we have seen the names of characters have been changed. So how is BJP related to all of this? We are all aware how much honour the TMC has shown to our freedom fighters,” BJP MP Samik Bhattacharya said.