Vivek Agnihotri: Taimur Not Our Hero, Kids Shouldn’t Bear His Name

India-West News Desk

MUMBAI – Agnihotri’s new film, The Bengal Files, has ignited a fresh debate over the name Taimur, a controversy that first gripped the nation in 2016. The issue arose after the trailer for the film, based on the 1946 Bengal riots, featured a child character with the controversial name, leading many to speculate it was a jab at Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan’s son.

In a recent appearance on The Raunac Show, Agnihotri addressed the speculation, clarifying that the reference was not personal. However, he was firm in his belief that “nobody should name their child Taimur.” 

 He stated that Taimur was a “murderous invader” who massacred “one lakh people” and went on a “killing spree from Delhi to Kashmir.” While acknowledging Taimur is seen as a hero in his homeland, Agnihotri stressed that he is “not a hero to us.”

The director’s comments brought renewed attention to the original controversy. In a 2016 interview with Delhi Times, Saif Ali Khan admitted he considered changing his son’s name for a period due to the intense public backlash. His wife, Kareena Kapoor Khan, ultimately persuaded him not to, and she later told Miss Malini that the controversy “affected” her, even as she noted the public’s unexpected interest in her son.

The Bengal Files is the third and final installment in Agnihotri’s “Files Trilogy” and is scheduled for release on September 5.