The recent International Film Festival of India (IFFI) at Goa is making headlines for its jury head, Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid, criticising Vivek Agnihotri’s Anupam Kher-starrer film, The Kashmir Files. The film was selected to be screened at the nine-day festival but isn’t getting the reaction that was expected by the makers. Here’s what was said about the film and the film’s cast and crew’s reactions to it.
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IFFI jury on ‘The Kashmir Files’
Credit: Reuters
At the festival, Lapid said, “All of us [the jury] were disturbed and shocked by the movie The Kashmir Files. It felt to us like a propaganda and vulgar movie that was inappropriate for an artistic and competitive section of such a prestigious film festival. I feel comfortable to openly share this feeling with you since the spirit of the festival can truly accept critical discussion which is essential for art and life.”
The reactions to the criticism of ‘The Kashmir Files’
Credit: Zee Studios, Abhishek Agarwal Arts
The reactions to Nadav’s statement have been as polarising as the film was when it came out. The film’s cast members, such as Anupam Kher, have responded to Nadav’s statement but so have people on social media.
Anupam Kher tweeted a bunch of stills from critically-acclaimed film Schindler’s List, along with a still from The Kashmir Files, captioning it, “Jhoot ka kad kitna bhi ooncha kyu na ho, satya ke muqable mein hamesha chhota hi hota hai.” For the uninitiated, Schindler’s List is about the genocide of Jewish people in Nazi Germany, so Kher attempted to draw a parallel between that film and The Kashmir Files with his tweet.
झूट का क़द कितना भी ऊँचा क्यों ना हो..
सत्य के मुक़ाबले में हमेशा छोटा ही होता है.. pic.twitter.com/OfOiFgkKtD— Anupam Kher (@AnupamPKher) November 28, 2022
Tweet credit: Twitter.com/AnupamPKher
In addition to that, The Kashmir Files actor Darshan Kumar also told the Times Of India, “Everyone has their own individual opinions on anything they see and perceive. But one can’t deny the fact is that The Kashmir Files is a film which has depicted the actual plight of Kashmiri pandit community, who are still fighting for justice against the brutal acts of terrorism. So this film is not on vulgarity but on reality.”
Twitter, however, wasn’t quite sold on this, and the reactions were divided. Many lauded Lapid, while others slammed him. Here are some tweets reacting to this controversy:
At least this jury has the guts to say what is wrong is wrong …
— Real me (@ritikasuper) November 28, 2022
Tweet credit: Twitter.com/ritikasuper
Did they react similarly to Schindler’s list? Or to Sophie’s choice?
Bigots all of them.. sack the jury they don’t deserve to be filmmakers..— Politics mein PHD (@ysaigal) November 28, 2022
Tweet credit: Twitter.com/ysaigal
When u make a propaganda film and leave no stone unturned in misusing your power to reward a film that is ‘VULGAR’ in his words , this is how embarrassing it gets #KashmirFiles https://t.co/cGGUs8EFLh
— Sakshi Joshi (@sakshijoshii) November 28, 2022
Tweet credit: Twitter.com/sakshijoshii
#KashmirFiles being called out for what it is — “a propaganda, vulgar movie” — by #IFFI2022 Jury made my day. Every second of that film was disturbing. Was disgusted by the way a fascist propagandist used the suffering of a people to spread hatred & advance his career.
— Siddharth (@DearthOfSid) November 28, 2022
Tweet credit: Twitter.com/DearthOfSid
A movie like Kashmir Files has been made possible by the timidity and the intellectual incapacity of “liberal” India to take up the cause of the KPs. What happened to the KPs was gruesome and wrong and deserves to be called out.
— hganjoo (@hganjoo_153) November 28, 2022
Tweet credit: Twitter.com/hganjoo_
So, what are your views on the matter? Have you watched The Kashmir Files? Tell us in the comments below.
Lead image credit: Reuters, Zee Studios, Abhishek Agarwal Arts
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