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India Today
a day ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
Exclusive: Vivek Agnihotri on India's soft power, 10 US premieres of Bengal Files
Filmmaker Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri on Friday announced that he would showcase his upcoming film 'The Bengal Files' at 10 grand premieres in the US. In an interview with India the director now opened up on promoting his film as 'India's soft power', and beginning the worldwide promotions first than marketing the film in India.'The Bengal Files', which is the third chapter in his trilogy, will be screened at mega-premieres across the United States, starting July 19 in New Jersey and concluding on August 10 in Houston. The premiere tour will include special screenings in key cities like Chicago, Atlanta, Washington DC, Raleigh, Tampa, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and the San Francisco Bay spoke about his decision to screen the film in the US first, and said, "At the time of 'The Kashmir Files', the first film of my trilogy, I had realized that Indian films don't work as the soft power for India to create a grand narrative in the world. Therefore, we decided to showcase our films in different parts of the world, even before they are released in India. We have seen the success of the Kashmir Files, we have seen the grand, unprecedented success of 'The Kashmir Files'." The director said his films stand for the truth, the kind of uncomfortable narrative that most filmmakers shy away from. He explained, "Because these narratives people wanted to know, these truths people wanted to know, but nobody was telling them. The films which had truth in them were made small like our films, but they were only for domestic consumption, and the world never got to know about those stories. So therefore, instead of going to the international market, we decided that we will go top to down."advertisementAgnihotri talked about what he called the 'top to bottom' approach for the promotion of his film. He said the journey of 'The Bengal Files' promotions will begin in the US with the 10 grand premieres across the country."We will start with international market and come to India. This is something which is very close to my heart, and I am very very happy, delighted and proud that the Bengal Files is going to reach people in US, policymakers, congressmen, senators, media people, blacks, Jews, people from different diverse international communities, and they will understand that what happens when a community is being persecuted for more than 1000 years. And it also gives a message that why it is so important for every citizen of the world to protect humanity," he went on. Agnihotri continues, "And this film conveys that, and that's why I am taking this film to the USA, and all the local organisers and our national partners in the USA, Kohona and GKPD, are working so hard. And this work is done only by volunteers. It's not a commercial project; it's a purely philanthropic charity and non-profit exercise by the volunteers who want to promote truth cinema."advertisementAgnihotri's decision to promote 'The Bengal Files' in the overseas market first also comes from the audience's response to 'The Kashmir Files' in the same market. The filmmaker enjoys a growing global appeal and the rising excitement for his kind of cinema beyond India.A teaser for 'The Bengal Files' was released earlier this month, featuring all the prominent cast members. One striking scene featured Goddess Durga's idol engulfed in flames. Later, as the scene became a topic of discussion on social media, the filmmakers clarified that they had backed the story by thorough teaser was headlined as: "If Kashmir hurt you, then Bengal will haunt you."The Bengal Files is written and directed by Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri and produced by Abhishek Agarwal and Pallavi Joshi. It stars Mithun Chakraborty, Pallavi Joshi, Anupam Kher, and Darshan Kumar. The film, presented by Tej Narayan Agarwal and I Am Buddha, is a part of Agnihotri's Files trilogy that includes 'The Kashmir Files' and 'The Tashkent Files'. It will arrive in theatres on September 5, 2025.- Ends
Economic Times
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Economic Times
John Abraham doesn't deserve to be paid in crores, says Kashmir Files director Vivek Agnihotri. 'He asked..'
Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Concerns Over John Abraham's Performance Personal Issues Spilled Onto the Set Creative Vision Overshadowed by Celebrity Influence Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Commercial Outcome and Future Plans ( Originally published on Jun 21, 2025 ) Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri , who is often known for his bold viewpoints and politically intense narratives, has once again touched upon the turbulent creative journey of his 2007 sports drama Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal . In a recent conversation with Dainik Bhaskar, he spoke frankly about the disputes that occurred during the making of the film—particularly the disagreements with screenwriter Anurag Kashyap and the disappointments surrounding lead actor John Abraham 's performance. Agnihotri's remarks pull back the curtain on how hierarchical pressures and celebrity-driven decisions can derail the original vision of a director did not hold back when discussing John Abraham, the lead actor of the film. According to Agnihotri, the actor—who later starred in films like Ek Villain Returns—struggled with his dialogues. He alleged that John requested his lines be shortened, which suggested to the director a lack of preparedness or ability to deliver extended dialogues fluently. Agnihotri seemed particularly disturbed by the idea of high remuneration for actors who, in his view, were unwilling to meet basic acting expectations.'If an actor asks for reduced lines because he can't deliver five sentences in rhythm, then why is he being paid crores?" he told the to the strain, Agnihotri recalled a tense emotional environment during the shoot, as John Abraham was reportedly undergoing a breakup with then-girlfriend Bipasha Basu . The director explained that the emotional fallout between the couple had a ripple effect on the film's atmosphere, making it even more difficult for him to maintain focus and steer the team lamented that the original promise of Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal was undermined by various artistic sacrifices. While the movie featured a catchy soundtrack and carried the potential for success, it ended up being bogged down by off-screen drama, egotistical demands, and insufficient dedication from key players. He remarked that when energy is redirected from script integrity and cinematic storytelling toward accommodating inflated egos and managing underperformance, the soul of a film inevitably the film was released in 2007, it received mixed reactions and failed to make a lasting mark at the box office. According to Sacnilk, it collected around Rs 18 crore in gross revenue. The underwhelming performance reinforced Agnihotri's sense of lost potential. Presently, he is preparing for the release of The Bengal Files, a film that follows his controversial yet commercially triumphant The Kashmir Files, continuing his pattern of provocative Abraham's most recent appearance was in the political drama The Diplomat, a film directed by Shivam Nair and penned by Ritesh Shah. The story delves into the complex world of diplomatic missions, unraveling the emotional and moral dilemmas faced by diplomats navigating the strained relations between India and Pakistan. Despite its intense subject and star power, the film failed to make an impact at the box office. With a production budget of ₹50 crore, it managed to collect only ₹53 crore, rendering it a commercial disappointment. Abraham is now gearing up for his upcoming projects — Tehran and Tariq — both of which are expected to showcase him in equally gripping roles.
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Will raise the issue of pending ₹1,200 cr under JJM with Centre: Himachal dy CM
Jun 22, 2025 08:28 AM IST Deputy chief minister (CM) Mukesh Agnihotri on Saturday said that he will raise the issue of pending ₹ 1,200 crore under the 'Jal Jeevan Mission' with Centre. Himachal Pradesh deputy chief minister Mukesh Agnihotri (File) While reviewing the status of the mission during a meeting, the deputy CM said that out of the ₹ 6,300 crore sanctioned by the Centre, only ₹ 5,100 crore has been received so far and an amount of ₹ 1,200 crore was still pending with the central government. 'The state government will strongly take up the matter of releasing the pending amount with the Centre,' he said. JJM is a flagship programme of the Union government being implemented in partnership with the states with the objective to provide tap water connection in every rural household. 'During the financial year 2024-25, out of ₹ 920 crore sanctioned, the state has received ₹ 137 crore and ₹ 783 crore was yet to be disbursed,' he said during the meeting. Progress of various developmental projects under the department were also reviewed. The deputy chief minister directed departmental officials to prioritise and complete all pending works within the fixed time frame. He said that effective management of water resources and ensuring reliable water supply remains a key priority of the present state government. He instructed the concerned officers to visit the field to monitor ongoing projects and address public grievances promptly and to submit the detailed reports of ground visits to the senior officers so that necessary action could be taken to address the issues. Agnihotri also asked the officials to prepare a detailed report regarding the Jal Rakshak who have completed 12 years of service in the department, so that the matter could be brought before the cabinet.
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First Post
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- First Post
'The Kashmir Files' director Vivek Agnihotri takes a dig at his 'Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal' actor John Abraham: 'You can't say five lines of dialogues...
Agnihotri revealed, 'There were many problems during that time. In the middle of it all, Bipasha Basu and John Abraham broke up during the making of the film.' read more 'The Kashmir Files' director Vivek Agnihotri is now gearing up for the third film in the FILES series. The next one is The Bengal Files which was earlier called The Delhi Files. In an interview with Dainik Bhaskar, the director took a dig at John Abraham and recalled the time when they worked together in his 2007 sports drama Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal. Agnihotri revealed, 'There were many problems during that time. In the middle of it all, Bipasha Basu and John Abraham broke up during the making of the film. When you're in love, you have to deal with one set of issues, and after a breakup, a whole new set of problems arises.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He added, 'So, it became very difficult for me to manage everything. Even though I was the director of the film, the entire system was functioning based on the intelligence of a very mediocre actor.' On casting John Abraham 'Everyone was like, 'Let's take John, he is a footballer. That's how he became a part of the film. But you tell me, if it's a film about football, what should an actor do? We called a premium league coach to train the cast. Arshad Warsi put his soul into preparing, but in all of John's scenes, we had to shoot his face and feet separately.' 'And Arshad had given his all for that film. He questioned me on things, he didn't tell me, 'reduce my dialogues' Why? Because you can't say them at once? You can't say five lines of dialogues in rhythm at once. This is your problem. Then why should these actor be given so much money?'
Time of India
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
John Abraham doesn't deserve to be paid in crores, says Kashmir Files director Vivek Agnihotri. 'He asked..'
Concerns Over John Abraham's Performance Personal Issues Spilled Onto the Set Creative Vision Overshadowed by Celebrity Influence Commercial Outcome and Future Plans Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri , who is often known for his bold viewpoints and politically intense narratives, has once again touched upon the turbulent creative journey of his 2007 sports drama Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal . In a recent conversation with Dainik Bhaskar, he spoke frankly about the disputes that occurred during the making of the film—particularly the disagreements with screenwriter Anurag Kashyap and the disappointments surrounding lead actor John Abraham 's performance. Agnihotri's remarks pull back the curtain on how hierarchical pressures and celebrity-driven decisions can derail the original vision of a director did not hold back when discussing John Abraham, the lead actor of the film. According to Agnihotri, the actor—who later starred in films like Ek Villain Returns—struggled with his dialogues. He alleged that John requested his lines be shortened, which suggested to the director a lack of preparedness or ability to deliver extended dialogues fluently. Agnihotri seemed particularly disturbed by the idea of high remuneration for actors who, in his view, were unwilling to meet basic acting expectations.'If an actor asks for reduced lines because he can't deliver five sentences in rhythm, then why is he being paid crores?" he told the to the strain, Agnihotri recalled a tense emotional environment during the shoot, as John Abraham was reportedly undergoing a breakup with then-girlfriend Bipasha Basu . The director explained that the emotional fallout between the couple had a ripple effect on the film's atmosphere, making it even more difficult for him to maintain focus and steer the team lamented that the original promise of Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal was undermined by various artistic sacrifices. While the movie featured a catchy soundtrack and carried the potential for success, it ended up being bogged down by off-screen drama, egotistical demands, and insufficient dedication from key players. He remarked that when energy is redirected from script integrity and cinematic storytelling toward accommodating inflated egos and managing underperformance, the soul of a film inevitably the film was released in 2007, it received mixed reactions and failed to make a lasting mark at the box office. According to Sacnilk, it collected around Rs 18 crore in gross revenue. The underwhelming performance reinforced Agnihotri's sense of lost potential. Presently, he is preparing for the release of The Bengal Files, a film that follows his controversial yet commercially triumphant The Kashmir Files, continuing his pattern of provocative cinema.
