National Award winning filmmaker Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri’s film “The Kashmir Files,” based on the suffering of Kashmir Pandits in the Kashmir Valley, received a great response from audiences as well as critics.
The film (The Kashmir Files), which was released on March 11, this year, became the second highest grossing film of 2022. While the movie received a great word of mouth and lots of love from audiences, it also faced backlash many times from a section of people.
The film is again in the news, as this time it faces strong condemnation from Nadav Lapid, an Israeli filmmaker and jury head of the 53rd International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2022, which was held in Goa from November 20–28.
Who is Nadav Lapid?
Born in Israel’s Tel Aviv, Nadav Lapid is a screenwriter and filmmaker known for his work in Policeman (2011), The Kindergarten Teacher (2014), and Synonymes (2019).
Policeman, which was his debut feature film, won the Locarno Festival Special Jury Prize at the Locarno Film Festival in 2011, while Synonymes won the Golden Bear Award at the 69th Berlin Film Festival.
Before his stint as the jury head at the IFFI, the filmmaker has been a member of the Golden Leopard Jury at the 2015 Locarno Film Festival, a member of the “Official Competition” Jury, and a member of the International Critics’ Week Jury at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival.
What was His Statement on The Kashmir Files?
The film was screened at the prestigious festival, and during the closing ceremony of the festival, jury head Nadav Lapid went on to criticise the film. In his address, he said that out of 15 films in the international competition, 14 had cinematic qualities and evoked vivid discussions, whereas the 15th film (TKF) felt like “propaganda”, “vulgar” movie and also inappropriate for an artistic competitive section of such a prestigious film festival.
Netizens Reacted to Nadav’s Remark on TKF
As soon as Nadav’s remark about “The Kashmir Files” went viral, we saw social media divide over the issue. On one side, his comment faced a massive backlash from a section of people, and many big celebs came out in support of his statement on the film.
Kashmir Files director Vivek Agnihori and its cast member Anupam Kher also reacted to the recent controversy.
GM.
Truth is the most dangerous thing. It can make people lie. #CreativeConsciousness
— Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) November 29, 2022
#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
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
Others who criticise this statement are filmmaker Ashoke Pandit, Kashmiri journalists Aarti Tikoo and Aditya Raj Kaul, movie critic Sumit Kadel and many others.
Shameless statement on The Kashmir Files by someone who comes across as illiterate. Will this Israeli film director Nadav Lapid call Holocaust a propaganda?
Will he call Schindler’s List and The Pianist as propaganda films? @netanyahu @NaorGilonpic.twitter.com/yuUF8pl5xs
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) November 28, 2022
I don’t need validation of my truth from the White activists/agents of America or UK or Australia or Israel. Those desperate for the validation of the West are free to cheer when they get it and free to cry when they don’t.
I have lived #KashmiriPanditGenocide #KashmirFiles.
— Aarti Tikoo (@AartiTikoo) November 29, 2022
#TheKashmirFiles has created discomfort amongst many. There’s a BIG LOBBY working to slander this film intent & credential. Statement made by a foreigner in Iffi is a fine example. A BO website is also making continuous efforts to discredit film BO Success. APPALING to see this.
— Sumit Kadel (@SumitkadeI) November 29, 2022
Mosques screamed Run, Convert or Die on Jan 19, 1990. BK Ganjoo’s blood was fed to his wife on March 17, 1990. Girija Tickoo was sawed alive on June 25, 1990.
Kashmir Files, that recounts these facts, is labelled vulgar propaganda at a Film Festival organised by the Indian govt. pic.twitter.com/QqsJN4nOH7
— Anand Ranganathan (@ARanganathan72) November 28, 2022
On the other side, many big names like Prashant Bhushan, Swati Chaturvedi and others came out in support of Nadav’s remark on the film.
The Toolkit gang is on! #TheKashmirFiles pic.twitter.com/QUWbgw7oto
— Dr. Syed Rizwan Ahmed (@Dr_RizwanAhmed) November 29, 2022
International Film Festival of India jury head calls 'The Kashmir Files' "vulgar & propaganda film” In the presence of dignitaries from various parts of world & various Indians ministers!
BJP is successfully damaging the brand of ‘India’ globally 🙏#IFFI #IFFI53Goa pic.twitter.com/ax121yPBly
— YSR (@ysathishreddy) November 28, 2022
There were five Jury members- induing Nadav, Pascale Chavance, Javier Angulo Barturen and Jinko Gotoh and Indian filmmaker Sudipto Sen. The latter took to twitter to clear the wave surrounding the controversy and called the remark by Yadav as his personal opinion.
#IFFI #IFFI2022 @nfdcindia @ianuragthakur pic.twitter.com/GBhtw0tH6C
— Sudipto SEN (@sudiptoSENtlm) November 28, 2022
Israeli envoy to Indian, Naor Gilon, posted a series of tweets and penned an open letter of IFFI and Nadav Lapid, criticising the Israeli filmmaker’s remark on The Kashmir Files. In the letter, Gilon wrote to Nadav “YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED”.
An open letter to #NadavLapid following his criticism of #KashmirFiles. It’s not in Hebrew because I wanted our Indian brothers and sisters to be able to understand. It is also relatively long so I’ll give you the bottom line first. YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED. Here’s why: pic.twitter.com/8YpSQGMXIR
— Naor Gilon (@NaorGilon) November 29, 2022
6. You will go back to Israel thinking that you are bold and “made a statement”. We, the representatives of Israel, would stay here. You should see our DM boxes following your “bravery” and what implications it may have on the team under my responsibility.
— Naor Gilon (@NaorGilon) November 29, 2022
The friendship between the people and the states of India and Israel is very strong and will survive the damage you have inflicted.
As a human being I feel ashamed and want to apologize to our hosts for the bad manner in which we repaid them for their generosity and friendship.
— Naor Gilon (@NaorGilon) November 29, 2022
