The Bengal Files Box Office Collection Day 1: Vivek Agnihotri’s Film Opens Low at ₹1.75 Crore, Trails Behind Badass Ravikumar

Vivek Agnihotri’s highly awaited political thriller The Bengal Files hit theatres on September 5, 2025, but its opening day performance has fallen short of expectations. According to early estimates by industry tracker Sacnilk, the film earned just ₹1.75 crore net across India, making for a weak start.

Disappointing Start Compared to The Kashmir Files

The film’s debut is particularly underwhelming when compared to Agnihotri’s blockbuster The Kashmir Files, which had opened with ₹3.55 crore before going on to become a box office phenomenon. As the third and final chapter in Agnihotri’s Files Trilogy, expectations were high, especially since it features much of the same lead cast including Anupam Kher, Mithun Chakraborty, Pallavi Joshi, and Darshan Kumar.

Occupancy Trends

The Bengal Files recorded an overall occupancy of 21.24% on Friday. Morning shows began weak at 15.08%, improving slightly in the afternoon (18.58%), and picking up in the evening (22.08%) and night (29.20%). Major markets such as Delhi-NCR (21.75%) and Mumbai (20.75%) also reflected the lukewarm response.

Falls Behind Other Recent Releases

Despite the hype, the film was outperformed by other recent releases.

• Himesh Reshammiya’s Badass Ravikumar – ₹2.75 crore opening.
• Sonu Sood’s Fateh – ₹2.45 crore.
• Tiger Shroff’s Baaghi 4 – ₹12 crore.
• Hollywood’s The Conjuring: Last Rites – ₹18 crore.
• Malayalam blockbuster Lokah: Chapter 1 – Chandra – already at ₹62.45 crore in India.

By comparison, The Bengal Files managed to stay ahead of smaller films like Tanvi the Great (₹40 lakh) and Superboys of Malegaon (₹50 lakh), but still struggled to meet expectations.

Controversy Around Release

The film’s release has been marred by controversies, with Vivek Agnihotri alleging that several theatres in West Bengal were pressured not to screen the film. Trade experts believe its box office future will heavily depend on word of mouth and whether ongoing controversies fuel audience interest in the coming days.