Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri has found himself in the crosshairs of internet users for sharing a photo of a packed The Bengal Files show which many flagged as AI-generated. But the backlash did not end there.
Some eagle-eyed netizens spotted children among the audience in the photo Agnihotri shared and questioned why they were allowed to watch an adult-rated movie.
If the photo is real, then it’s a clear violation of the film’s A certificate, which restricts entry to viewers aged 18 and below, argued some internet users.
“One picture says it all,” the caption to Agnihotri’s post, shared on Facebook Friday, read.
“This looks AI-generated! Also, why is that aunty sitting with her feet on the seat?” wrote a Facebook user, mocking the filmmaker.
Another netizen was quick to notice children among the audience. “But isn't Bengal Files an adult film?”
The picture also caught the attention of popular YouTuber and influencer Dhruv Rathee, known for his videos on social and political issues.
Slamming Agnihotri in the comments section on X, Rathee wrote, “Are you seriously making children watch an adult-rated film? This should be a crime. You are traumatising their childhood by showing them so much blood, gore and violence.”
The Bengal Files received the A certificate for its depiction of violence. It focuses on the Direct Action Day and the Noakhali riots of 1946, depicting the violence and its aftermath as a genocide. The film claims that these chapters of history were deliberately suppressed or ignored.
Several moviegoers were seen sitting on the staircase of the theatre photo Agnihotri’s shared. This too, did not go unnoticed. “Patrons sitting on the floor and steps,” a netizen pointed out.
A Kolkata-born Facebook user cheekily advised Agnihotri to use the following ChatGPT prompt for future reference: “Next time in the prompt mention — 1. No kids to be created as it is an Adult Film. 2. The audience should not sit on the staircases.”
The nett domestic box office collection of The Bengal Files currently stands at Rs 11.25 crore, as per industry tracker Sacnilk. The film marks the concluding part of Agnihotri’s Files Trilogy after The Tashkent Files and The Kashmir Files.
The political drama features Mithun Chakraborty, Pallavi Joshi, Darshan Kumar, Anupam Kher, Simrat Kaur, Rajesh Khera, Priyanshu Chatterjee, and Saswata Chatterjee in the leading roles.