Anupam Kher calls IFFI jury head's statement on The Kashmir Files pre-planned: ‘Immediately toolkit gang became active’

In reaction to IFFI jury head Nadav Lapid’s statement about his film The Kashmir Files being ‘shameful propaganda’, actor Anupam Kher has slammed the Israeli filmmaker. In a brief statement to the media on Tuesday morning, the actor hoped ‘God gives him wisdom’ so that he does not use others’ tragedy to ‘further his agenda’. Also read: IFFI jury head calls The Kashmir Files ‘vulgar propaganda’ on stage. Watch

On Monday night, while speaking at the 53rd International Film Festival of India in Goa, Nadav Lapid, this year’s jury head, said he was ‘disturbed’ to watch The Kashmir Files and termed it propaganda. On Tuesday morning, in a video shared by news agency ANI, Anupam spoke to some reporters outside a temple. “About The Kashmir Files, I would tell that individual that may God give him wisdom. I would just say that because speaking of such matters outside a temple isn’t right,” he said.

The actor then elaborated, “We’ll give a proper reply to it. If holocaust is right, the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits is right too. It seems pre-planned as immediately after that the toolkit gang became active. It’s shameful for him to make a statement like this. Jews have suffered Holocaust and he comes from that community. For him to make such a statement, he has also pained those people who have been victims of this tragedy many years ago. May God give him wisdom so that he does not further his agenda on stage using the sufferings of thousands.”

In a video from the festival on Monday, Nadav Lapid is seen addressing the gathering and speaking about the films that were up for awards there. Speaking about about Vivek Agnihotri’s The Kashmir Files, he says, “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 to openly share these feelings here with you on this stage. In the spirit of this festival, can surely also accept a critical discussion, which is essential for art and life.” As per news agency ANI, the organisers of IFFI declined to comment about the remarks of the jury head about the movie.

Last night, Anupam had expressed his displeasure at the remark in a subtler way. Without naming Nadav Lapid or IFFI, the actor tweeted, "No matter how high the height of the lie is.. It is always small in comparison to the truth.” The post carried a screengrab of Anupam from the film along with pictures from Steven Spielberg’s 1993 Holocaust film Schindler’s List.

The Kashmir Files, directed by Agnihotri, is based on the real incidents that took place in the Kashmir Valley in the early 1990s that involved the targetted killings of Kashmiri Pandits and the subsequent mass exodus of the community. It was a sleeper hit, earnings ₹341 crore at the box office.