I'll quit filmmaking if any single shot is proven not true: Vivek Agnihotri to Lapid on 'Kashmir Files' row

"This film was made after interviewing more than 700 people whose family members were cut into pieces and gang raped. Were all those people talking propaganda or vulgar?"

New Delhi, Nov 29: Bollywood director Vivek Agnihotri on Tuesday said that he will quit filmmaking if what Israel filmmaker Nadav Lapid said about his 'The Kashmir Files' is proved to be true.

Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid on Monday called 'The Kashmir Files' a "vulgar" and "propaganda" film at the closing ceremony of IFFI (International Film Festival of India).

Agnihotri's Video:
In a video shared on his Instagram account, Agnihotri said, "Yesterday at IFFI, a jury member called 'The Kashmir Files' a propaganda and a vulgar film. This is not a new thing for me, because these types of comments are being made by many terrorist organizations, urban Naxals, and the people who want to divide India. But what surprises me the most is, that this narrative of dividing Kashmir from India by some terrorists was supported on stage at an event organized by the Government of India."

"Who are these people? These are the same people who called this film propaganda since the day I started working on the film. This film was made after interviewing more than 700 people whose family members were cut into pieces and gang raped. Were all those people talking propaganda or vulgar? The land where once Hindus were in majority has no Hindus today, and many Hindus are killed every other day. Is it propaganda or vulgarity? Yaseen Malik accepted his terrorism and he is in jail today. Is this propaganda or vulgarity?" Vivek added.

Vivek further said, "I challenge all these urban Naxals and the legendary filmmaker who came from Israel, that if they can prove any single shot, event or dialogue is not completely true then I will quit filmmaking. Who are these people who stand up against India every time? These are the same people who never allowed Moplah's and Kashmir's truth to come out. These are the same people who were selling burning pyres for just some dollars, and now when I announced my next film 'The Vaccine War' they are standing against it also, but I am not afraid, do whatever you want to do but I will fight."

What Did Lapid Say?
Nadav Lapid, who headed the jury of the 53rd International Film Festival of India (IFFI), described Hindi film 'The Kashmir Files' as "propaganda" and "vulgar" and he was "disturbed and shocked" to see the film being screened at the film festival.

"All of us 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," he said. "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," Lapid said.

'The Kashmir Files' is a film about the genocide of Kashmiri Hindus in the 1990s at the hands of the Pakistan sponsored Islamic radicals. The movie is directed by Vivek Agnihotri and it features Anupam Kher, Pallavi Ghosh, Mithun Chakraborty and Darshan Kumar.

Israel distances Itself from Lapid
Israeli Ambassador to India, Sri Lanka and Bhutan, Naor Golin while calling out the Left Wing Jewish filmmaker Nadav Lapid said that he should be ashamed of himself.

Endorsing the current Israeli Ambassador to India's remarks, former Israel Ambassador to India Daniel Carmon criticised the controversial comments made by Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid on 'The Kashmir Files' and said that the relationship between India and his country will "survive the damage the filmmaker has inflicted."

'The Kashmir Files' was released earlier this year in theatres and it told the story of the Hindu exodus in the 1990s and targeted killings of the Kashmiri Pandits.

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