Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi, Nov 29: The Kashmir Files, directed by Vivek Agnihotri, caused a sensation when IFFI Jury Head Nadav Lapid dubbed it a ‘propaganda, obscene’ movie. Consul General to Midwest Kobbi Shoshani expressed his contrasting views on the film.
He claimed to have seen the movie and had a different take on it.
“I saw the Kashmir file and met the cast. I have a different opinion than Nadav Lapid. After his speech, I told Nadav my opinion. @vivekagnihotri,” he tweeted.
I saw the Kashmir file and met the cast. I have a different opinion than Nadav Lapid. After his speech, I told Nadav my opinion. @vivekagnihotri
— Kobbi Shoshani 🇮🇱 (@KobbiShoshani) November 28, 2022
Speaking of the uproar, a video from the festival that showed Nadav making divisive comments about the movie went popular on social media. The Israeli filmmaker made the statement at the festival’s closing ceremony, a member of the PR team for the event confirmed to ANI.
“I would like to thank the head of the festival and the director of the programming for the cinematic richness of the programme, for its diversity, for its complexity. It was intense. We saw seven films in the debutant competition, and 15 films in the international competition, the front window of the festival. 14 out of them had cinematic qualities, defaults and evoked vivid discussions,” he said in his speech.
“All of us were disturbed and shocked by the 15th film, The Kashmir Files. That felt like a propaganda, vulgar movie, inappropriate for an artistic competitive section of such a prestigious film festival. I feel totally comfortable openly sharing these feelings here with you at this stage. In the spirit of this festival, we can surely also accept a critical discussion, which is essential for art and life,” he further said.
Soon after, online users attacked Nadav on the microblogging platform.
“No matter how high the height of the lie is. It is always small in comparison to the truth,” referring to Nadav’s remarks, Anupam Kher tweeted. He attached pictures from the movie with his tweet.
#WATCH | Anupam Kher speaks to ANI on Int'l Film Festival of India Jury Head remarks for 'Kashmir Files', "…If holocaust is right, the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits is right too. Seems pre-planned as immediately after that the toolkit gang became active. May God give him wisdom.." pic.twitter.com/cUQ1bqzFs7
— ANI (@ANI) November 29, 2022
Meanwhile, Ashoke Pandit also slammed Nadav’s remarks. “I take strong objection to the language used by Nadav Lapid for #kashmirFiles. Depicting the genocide of 3 lakh #KashmiriHindus cannot be called vulgar. I as a filmmaker & a #KashmiriPandit condemn this shameless act of abuse towards victims of terrorism .”
The organisers chose not to respond to the jury chair’s criticism of the film.
The film “The Kashmir Files,” which hit theatres earlier this year, chronicled the 1990s Hindu exodus and the intentional killings of Kashmiri Pandits.
Anupam Kher won praise for his performance, and the film went on to become one of the highest-grossing Bollywood productions of 2022.
