Not distorted but liberties taken: Mithun Chakraborty defends Gopal Pathas portrayal in The Bengal Files | Exclusive
In an exclusive conversation with TV9 Digital, actor Mithun Chakraborty broke his silence over Gopal Patha's portrayal in Vivek Agnihotri's film, The Bengal Files. Dig inside to know what he has to say!
New Delhi: Vivek Agnihotri’s The Bengal Files has been marred by controversy especially over its portrayal of Gopal Chandra Mukherjee, who was a renowned Bengali fighter who had played pivotal role in protecting Hindus against the Muslim mob violence in the 1946 riots. His grandson Santanu Mukherjee has filed a police complaint against the filmmaker alleging distortion of his grandfather’s identity.
Santanu claimed that the film’s portrayal of Gopal 'Patha' Mukherjee is inaccurate and is hurtful to the family and the community. He further demanded apology for the filmmaker. Now, in an exclusive conversation with TV9 Digital, actor Mithun Chakraborty reacted to the FIR filed by Santanu and his claims of distortion of facts in The Bengal Files.
Mithun Chakraborty reacts to Santanu Mukherjee’s FIR
Speaking exclusively with TV9 Digital, actor Mithun Chakraborty stated that Gopal Chandra Mukherjee’s hasn’t been shown in distorted way, according to him but certain liberties have been taken. He told us, "Gopal Chandra Mukherjee has not been distorted. But anyway, he has the right, it’s his grandfather. He can explain, but I don’t feel he has been shown in a distorted way. However, sometimes certain liberties do have to be taken. But I don’t know what kind of distortion has been done.”
Earlier, Vivek Agnihotri while addressing media in Delhi also reacted to Santanu’s legal action against him and said, "He works with the TMC and he is doing what is compulsory for him. He was a hero. I have showed him as a hero in the film. I have taken a small bit from his interview with the BBC, and taken what he said verbatim. I am aware that the people of Bengal regard him as a hero, and that is how I have shown him.”
Who was Gopal Chandra Mukherjee?
During the 1946 Calcutta Killings, Gopal Patha emerged as one of Calcutta’s most feared musclemen with nearly 800 men under his command, who defied Mahatma Gandhi’s repeated calls to surrender arms. He was one of the forces that saved Calcutta from falling into Pakistani hands and also sheltered Hindu families and widows in distress.
The Bengal Files, scheduled to release on September 5, narrates the horrors of communal violence in Calcutta during the Muslim League’s Direct Action Day on August 16, 1946. The riots between Hindus and Muslims left thousands of people dead and the city was scarred by bloodshed.