The Global Indian Diaspora Foundation (GIDF), a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting cultural awareness and historical truth within the Indian community, will host an exclusive pre-release screening of the highly anticipated film The Bengal Files on Saturday, August 9, 2025, at AMC Naperville in the Chicago suburbs. Directed by Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri—best known for The Kashmir Files and The Tashkent Files—The Bengal Files explores the harrowing and often overlooked events of Direct Action Day. The film aims to shed light on a pivotal yet largely forgotten chapter in history, inviting viewers to engage in reflection and dialogue. “This film is a cinematic thunderstorm—a piercing mirror to our history,” said Rakesh Malhotra, President of the Global Indian Diaspora Foundation (GIDF). “The Bengal Files doesn’t just tell a story; it confronts a truth buried under decades of silence. As a community, it is our moral duty to witness, remember, and reflect.”
The film brings to light the largely overlooked and chilling events of Direct Action Day and the Great Calcutta Killings of 1946, along with the subsequent communal violence in Bengal, including the Noakhali riots. These incidents played a pivotal role in shaping India’s independence and partition, yet remain underrepresented in mainstream narratives. Abhinav Raina, General Secretary of GIDF, added, “This exclusive screening is our way of reclaiming a chapter of history that has been long ignored. We invite the community to join us not just to watch a film, but to awaken a conversation.” The Chicago screening is part of a nationwide “One Truth. Ten Cities.” tour, organized in collaboration with the I Am Buddha Foundation, Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA), and Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora (GKPD). These organizations are united in their mission to bring suppressed histories to the forefront through cultural initiatives and activism. Director Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri commented, “If The Kashmir Files hurt you, The Bengal Files will haunt you. This is not just a film, it’s a moral responsibility to the generations that were silenced. The truth must be told, and now, it will be seen.”
The event is supported by several prominent community organizations, including the Bengali Association of Greater Chicago, Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, Chicago Kali Bari, Federation of Indian Associations, Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation, and Indica USA. Avatans Kumar, Director of Indica USA-Chicago, remarked, “The Bengal Files confronts historical amnesia with courage and creativity. It is a crucial step in restoring dignity to stories that were erased—and giving voice to those who were silenced.” The evening will feature a red-carpet welcome, keynote addresses from film director Vivek Agnihotri and actress Pallavi Joshi, and a post-screening reflection session designed to foster meaningful discussion and ensure that forgotten history is remembered. The Bengal Files will open worldwide on September 5, 2025. Chicago-area audiences will have the unique opportunity to view the film ahead of its official release at this special August 9 event.
