Key Points:
- Vivek Agnihotri’s ‘The Bengal Files’ opens with disappointing ₹1.75 crore on Day 1, far below expectations
- Film faces complete ban in West Bengal with zero theater releases in the state
- Tiger Shroff’s ‘Baaghi 4’ dominates with ₹12 crore opening, overshadowing political drama
- Day 2 collections drop further to ₹0.25 crore, indicating poor audience reception
- Film made on ₹32-35 crore budget struggles against half the opening of ‘The Kashmir Files’
Mumbai: Vivek Agnihotri’s highly anticipated political drama ‘The Bengal Files’ has suffered a crushing blow at the box office, collecting a mere ₹1.75 crore on its opening day – a stark contrast to the massive success of his previous film ‘The Kashmir Files’.
Opening Day Performance Falls Short of Expectations
Released on September 5, 2025, ‘The Bengal Files’ managed to secure only 21.24% overall occupancy across theaters nationwide on its first day. The occupancy breakdown revealed concerning trends:
- Morning shows: 15.08%
- Afternoon shows: 18.58%
- Evening shows: 22.08%
- Night shows: 29.20% (highest but still underwhelming)
The film’s performance in major metropolitan areas was equally disappointing, with Delhi-NCR recording 21.75% occupancy and Mumbai managing only 20.75%. This represents a significant underperformance for a film that was expected to replicate the success of Agnihotri’s previous venture.
Day 2 Collections Plummet Further
The situation worsened on the second day, with ‘The Bengal Files’ collecting approximately ₹0.25 crore – a dramatic drop from the already modest opening day figures. Saturday morning shows registered just 15.11% occupancy, with afternoon, evening, and night shows showing minimal audience interest.
Regional occupancy data for Day 2 revealed stark disparities:
- Bengaluru: 44% (highest)
- Pune: 21%
- Hyderabad: 20%
- Mumbai: 14%
- NCR: 13%
- Chennai: 0%
West Bengal Ban Creates Major Hurdle
The film faced its biggest challenge in West Bengal, where it was completely banned from theaters. Director Vivek Agnihotri alleged that pressure was put on theater owners to prevent screenings, while actress Pallavi Joshi wrote an open letter to the President calling it an “informal ban”.
The controversy stems from the film’s subject matter – depicting the communal violence in Bengal during the 1940s, including Direct Action Day and Noakhali riots. The sensitive historical content has created significant political opposition in the state where these events occurred.
Baaghi 4 Dominates Box Office Competition
‘The Bengal Files’ faced formidable competition from Tiger Shroff’s action thriller ‘Baaghi 4’, which collected ₹12 crore on its opening day – nearly seven times higher than Agnihotri’s film. This stark difference highlights the audience preference for commercial entertainment over politically sensitive content.
The action franchise’s strong performance completely overshadowed the political drama, leaving ‘The Bengal Files’ struggling for screen space and audience attention.
Budget vs Reality: A Commercial Disaster
Made on an estimated budget of ₹32-35 crore (including prints and publicity costs), ‘The Bengal Files’ appears headed for commercial failure. The film was released on approximately 1,000 screens in India and 200 screens overseas, totaling around 1,200 screens worldwide.
Industry experts note that the film received double the screen count of ‘The Kashmir Files’ yet managed only half the opening day collection of its predecessor, which opened with ₹3.55 crore and eventually earned over ₹250 crore domestically.
Cast and Crew Details
The film features an impressive ensemble cast including:
- Mithun Chakraborty and Anupam Kher in pivotal roles
- Darshan Kumar and Simrat Kaur as leads
- Pallavi Joshi in a significant role
- Supporting cast: Saswata Chatterjee, Puneet Issar, Sourav Das, Eklavya Sood, and Rajesh Khera
With a runtime of 3 hours and 24 minutes, the film has become one of India’s longest movies and received an ‘A’ (Adults Only) certificate from the censor board.
Critical Reception and Future Prospects
Despite receiving an IMDb rating of 8.0, the film’s commercial performance tells a different story. Industry analysts predict that without extremely positive word-of-mouth and critical acclaim, the film faces potential failure given its poor pre-release buzz and opening day performance.
Weekend collections will be crucial in determining whether ‘The Bengal Files’ can recover from its disastrous start or will join the list of big-budget disappointments in 2025. The film’s ability to sustain interest beyond its core audience remains highly questionable given the current trajectory.
