Nadav Lapid, Israeli filmmaker and jury head of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Goa, condemned Vivek Agnihotri's The Kashmir Files, calling it a "propaganda, vulgar movie”. He added that the jury was "disturbed and shocked" to see the film being screened at the festival. The Kashmir Files was selected for the Indian Panorama Section and was screened at 22 November. The special screening was attended by Anupam Kher, who also stars in the movie.
"All of us were disturbed and shocked by the movie The Kashmir Files. It felt to us like a propaganda, vulgar movie that's inappropriate for an artistic, competitive section of such a prestigious film festival. I feel comfortable to share open disfeelings with you since the spirit of the festival can truly accept critical discussion", Lapid said.
The Kashmir Files was released earlier this year, on 11 March. The film depicts the exodus and killings of the Kashmiri Pandits in the valley in 1990. Although it was well-received in India, several criticized the film and called out Agnihotri for its propagandist tone.
Agnihotri's film was also banned in Singapore by the Singaporean authorities, since it was deemed to be beyond the city-state's film classification standards. As per reports, The Kashmir Files was classified as "provocative and one-sided portrayal of Muslims and the depictions of Hindus being persecuted in the on-going conflict in Kashmir”
Besides Anupam Kher, the film also featured Mithun Chakraborty and Pallavi Joshi in pivotal roles.
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