Israeli filmmaker's 'Kashmir Files' remarks upset BJP; Congress calls it embarrassing for govt

The jury head of the 53rd International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid, described the Hindi film 'The Kashmir Files' as 'propaganda' and 'vulgar' on Monday. A major controversy erupted hours after Lapid's remark. While some have praised Lapid for 'calling out propaganda,' others have accused Lapid of 'being insensitive' to the suffering of Kashmiri Pandits, despite belonging to a community that experienced the horrors of the Holocaust.

On Tuesday, the Bharatiya Janata Party leader, Amit Malviya, compared the Israeli filmmaker's condemnation of the film to denial of the Holocaust, the killing of millions of Jews by Hitler's regime.

The IT department head of the party said, "For a long time, people denied the Holocaust and labelled Schindler's List as propaganda, just some are doing with Kashmir Files. Whatever happens, the truth always triumphs."

 

He further noted that the Israeli ambassador had responded to Lapid's criticism of 'The Kashmir Files,' a film that depicts the violence and suffering inflicted on Kashmiri Pandits following the eruption of militancy in the Valley.

In contrast, the Congress party attacked the government over Lapid's remark, calling it an 'embarrassment' and claiming that hate is eventually exposed.

Congress spokesperson and head of the party's social media department, Supriya Srinate, tweeted, "PM Modi, his government, the BJP, and the RW ecosystem worked tirelessly to promote 'The Kashmir Files,' a film that the International Film Festival of India rejected. Jury Chairman Nadav Lapid described it as 'propaganda, vulgar film inappropriate for the film festival." Late Monday night, Srinate tweeted, "Eventually, hate gets called out."

 

On Tuesday, Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed said, "The Kashmir Files is vulgar propaganda, according to Nadav Lapid, head of the jury at the International Film Festival of India. To polarise the people of India, the BJP govt went all out in promoting the movie, resulting in a huge embarrassment for India on an international scale!"

 

In his speech at the IFFI 2022 closing ceremony, Lapid said that he was 'disturbed and shocked' to see the film being screened at the festival.

"We were all disturbed and shocked by the movie 'The Kashmir Files.' It felt like a propaganda and vulgar film, unfit for such a prestigious film festival's artistic and competitive section," he continued. 

"Because the festival's ethos can actually embrace critical conversation, which is crucial for both art and life, Lapid continued, "I feel safe sharing this feeling with you."

Reacting to Lapid's criticism, the country's envoy to India, Naor Gilon, slammed him, saying he should be 'ashamed' for 'abusing in the worst way' the Indian invitation to him to chair the film festival's panel of judges.

'The Kashmir Files,' released in theatres on March 11, was screened on November 22 as part of the Indian Panorama Section at IFFI.

(With inputs from PTI)

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