Vivek Agnihotri’s latest directorial venture, The Bengal Files, arrived in cinemas on September 5, but the political thriller’s debut has disappointed fans and industry watchers alike with underwhelming box office results. Early figures from tracker Sacnilk put the film’s opening day earnings at about Rs 1.75 crore nett in India, a far cry from the buzz surrounding its release as the concluding chapter in Agnihotri’s acclaimed Files Trilogy.

This modest start pales in comparison to Agnihotri’s previous hit, The Kashmir Files, which kicked off with Rs 3.55 crore before exploding into a blockbuster that grossed over Rs 250 crore domestically. Given that The Bengal Files tackles another charged chapter from India’s recent past and reunites key actors from the earlier film, hopes were sky-high for a strong launch. Yet, the numbers suggest audiences aren’t flocking in as eagerly.

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Occupancy across the country hovered at a low 21.24% for the day. Early morning screenings drew just 15.08% turnout, with afternoon shows edging up to 18.58%. Things picked up a bit later, reaching 22.08% in the evening and peaking at 29.20% for night shows. In key markets like Delhi-NCR and Mumbai, the figures were similarly subdued at 21.75% and 20.75%, indicating the film struggled to build momentum even in urban hubs.

The cast, including Anupam Kher, Mithun Chakraborty, Pallavi Joshi, and Darshan Kumar, brings familiar star power from the trilogy, but The Bengal Files has lagged behind not just its predecessor but also some contemporary releases. Agnihotri has publicly claimed that the film’s rollout hit roadblocks, particularly in West Bengal, Agnihotri has accused theatre operators of facing external pressure to skip screenings. This controversy may have dampened its reach in a region central to the story’s theme.

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