'The Kashmir Files' controversy: Why is my name not in IFFI statement, asks lone Indian juror Sudipto Sen
Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid stoked controversy with his “vulgar propaganda” comments about the film 'The Kashmir Files' at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa. The controversial filmmaker has now got support from the other three IFFI jury members. Meanwhile, Sudipto Sen, the only Indian juror on the IFFI jury maintained that the comments made by the Israeli filmmaker were his personal opinion.
FollowSudipto Sen, the lone Indian in the jury board of the just-concluded International Film Festival of India, stated that the remarks made by Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid about 'The Kashmir Files' were his personal opinion even as three other co-jurors came out in support of the jury head.
Sen made this claim following a Twitter post from three members, including French documentary director Javier Angulo Barturen, American producer Jinko Gotoh, and French film editor Pascale Chavance, supporting Lapid's remarks that sparked a significant uproar earlier this week.
"I stand by my decision as a board member that we did not award 'The Kashmir Files'. Only five movies received awards. This decision was unanimous. A formal presentation was also made to the NFDC and the festival administration. The jury board's task is over after that. Soon after that, if someone watches a specific movie in public and says something unexpected, it is his personal opinion. The jury board is not involved," Sen added.
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In remarks at the prize ceremony on the last night of the nine-day film festival on Monday, Lapid, who was the chairperson of IFFI's international jury, called The Kashmir Files a "vulgar and propagandist" film.
When asked if he was approached for the comment, Sen said that they are aware of his disagreement. "I was the only Indian in the jury. I should have been part of that statement of the jury board. If they have excluded me, it shows they are aware that Sudipto does not adhere to his claim since it is untrue," Sen said.
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"If it is unanimous jury board's decision, why my name is not in this statement?" he further questioned.
"The Kashmir Files", written and directed by Vivek Agnihotri, depicts the migration of Kashmiri Hindus from Kashmir after members of the community were murdered by terrorists with support from Pakistan.
The movie, which debuted on March 11 to mixed reviews, is one of the most popular Hindi movies of the year. "The Kashmir Files" featured Anupam Kher, Darshan Kumar, Mithun Chakraborty and Pallavi Joshi among others. Both Kher and Agnihotri have targeted Lapid for his remarks.
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