The Kashmir Files, directed by Vivek Agnihotri and based on the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from Jammu and Kashmir in the 1990s, opened in theatres on March 11 to widespread acclaim and condemnation. Pallavi Joshi, Anupam Kher, and Darshan Kumar feature in the film.
It is currently tax exempt in eight BJP-ruled states: Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Tripura, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Karnataka, Gujarat, and Uttarakhand. It earned mixed reviews from conventional critics – several dubbed it “exploitative” – but the film quickly sparked a social media firestorm.
Supporters argue that it sheds light on a forgotten, deadly period of Kashmir’s history, while detractors charge that it is reckless with facts and Islamophobic.
It has risen to prominence as numerous states have made it tax-free, sparking a new feud between the Congress Kerala unit and leaders of the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP).
The Congress claimed in a now-deleted tweet that between 1990 and 2007, more Muslims were killed in Jammu and Kashmir than Kashmiri Pandits.
BJP MP K J Alphons blamed the Congress for the plight of Pandits, claiming that the Congress and its allies created an environment in which pandits could no longer dwell in Kashmir.
Alphons continued by claiming that Congress does not comprehend history and has vastly twisted versions. He continued by stating that the departure of over 1.5 lakh Kashmiri Pandits is well-known and that they were forced away on communal grounds by the Congress or Congress-aligned regimes.
Mr. Agnihotri defended The Kashmir Files, stating, “It is not about Hindu or Muslim, as many people believe.”
However, the issue stems not so much from the history of the exodus as it does from the way the tale has been recounted and who has told it.
While the film struck a chord with Kashmiri Pandits, others lambasted the film for its lack of nuance in light of the complex history. While some have lauded the performances, others have stated that this does not compensate for the film’s vilification of Muslims.
Edited by- Subbuthai Padma
Published by -Iram Rizvi
