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Yearender 2022: The Kashmir Files controversy, truth, propaganda and a hard place

After the film’s release, several videos showed people in theatres raising genocidal and Islamophobic slogans after watching the film. The Kashmir Files has been called out countless times for polarization by vilifying the Muslim community and adding to the growing prejudice against the minority community.

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11 months ago

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The Kashmir Files

By Utkarsh Tripathi

Vivek Agnihotri’s film The Kashmir Files has been a subject of many debates since it first hit the floors. The film, which was released on March 11, 2022, was said to be based on the true story of the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits in the early 1990s from Jammu and Kashmir. The film stars Anupam Kher, Darshan Kumar, Pallavi Joshi and Mithun Chakraborty among others.

Despite being the centre of a lot of controversy, the film did very well in theatres as it raked approx Rs 250 crore at the box office in the month of its release.

The film was praised by various actors and directors for displaying the hard truth and voicing the forgotten story of the Kashmiri Pandits. Not only the industry or the people, but the film was supported and endorsed by the Narendra Modi Government. Many speculated the ruling party’s reason for supporting the film was to knock out the opposition parties, as well as activists and scholars.

As the movie was praised and celebrated by one group of society, the other group spoke against Vivek Agnihotri’s film. Many alleged inconsistencies in the film’s script and called it out for depicting a distorted point of view of the whole incident. Some said it was an agenda-driven film pushing for polarization in the country by vilifying and spreading prejudice against Kashmiri Muslims.

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Vivek Agnihotri on Row over Kashmir Files

Director Vivek Agnihotri was unabashed by the negative takes against his film and said controversy was unnecessary as The Kashmir Files was purely based on facts. The director added The Kashmir Files team had tried to portray what happens when militancy enters a community and is given ideological support from a part of the society. Agnihotri further added that it leads to disaster.

Agnihotri had claimed that he had researched four years before he started work on the project. To queries on the agendas being driven by him with the film, he agreed that he does have an agenda. He tweeted his agenda is to find India the respect it deserves and to get rid of Naxals and separatists in the country.

After the release of the film, The Kashmir Files team, including Vivek Agnihotri and his wife Pallavi Joshi, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 12 where the PM congratulated and praised them.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remark on Kashmir Files Row

PM Modi attacked the people who stood against The Kashmir Files and called it out that it was propaganda and factually incorrect on various occasions.

The Prime Minister said there is an ecosystem working to suppress the truth in the country. The PM said someone who tries to show the truth is being stopped and being suppressed. He further added that the people, who pose to be the custodians of freedom of expression, are themselves trying to discredit the film and scrutinize it.

He added his concern is not specifically for the film, but that the country needs to see the truth in the right manner. Prime Minister Modi said if someone wants they can make a film on the same issue but with a different perspective, if they want.

Not only the PM, his party echoed the praise for the film as various BJP-ruled states made the film tax-free, including Bihar (now in the Opposition camp thanks to Nitish Kumar switching sides), Gujarat, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Haryana and others. Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma announced half-day leave for government employees to watch the film. Whereas in Karnataka’s Vijayapura, MLA Patil Yatnal announced free shows of the film for people.

Opposition Parties on Kashmir files

The support for The Kashmir Files by the BJP became a national issue, the opposition including the Aam Aadmi Party, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena, the Congress and many others chimed in to add their take.

Aam Aadmi Party on the film

Back in March, Aam Aadmi Party convener Arvind Kejriwal said a great tragedy happened in Kashmir and highlighted that 32 years have gone by and even after 32 years, the government tells Kashmiri Pandits that they made a film for them. He attacked the Centre and said the Kashmiri Pandits don’t want a film, they want rehabilitation. The Delhi Chief Minister also accused the BJP of doing politics over The Kashmir Files.

Shiv Sena’s take on the film

Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena wrote against The Kashmir Files in Shiv Sena’s mouthpiece Saamana. The editorial said the story is based on the fleeing of Hindu Pandits in Kashmir, their killings, atrocities inflicted on them and their anger disturbs one’s mind.

The editorial charged the film as an attempt to divide Hindu-Muslims again. Raut claimed the BJP was supporting the film to win the upcoming Assembly elections due then in Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat.

Raut said The Kashmir Files should be created, but the agenda of such films has lately been to spread hatred and confusion about the political opposition, rather than showing the truth.

Congress’s take on the film

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said the film was inciting hate by distorting history to provoke anger. Ramesh tweeted some films inspire change, whereas, The Kashmir Files incited only hate. He highlighted the truth can lead to justice, rehabilitation, reconciliation and peace.

The Congress general secretary said propaganda twists facts, distorts history to whip up anger and promote violence and said statesmen heal wounds, whereas pracharaks exploit fear and prejudice to divide and rule.

IFFI Kashmir Files Row

In late November, The Kashmir Files was yet again in the news. International Film Festival of India (IFFI) jury head and Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid called the film propaganda and a vulgar film. He said it was inappropriate to place it in the artistic competitive section in IFFI. Lapid’s statements reignited the row which revolved around the film.

The Israeli filmmaker expounded on his comments to the media and said bad films are not a crime, however, The Kashmir Files is a very crude, manipulative and violent propaganda film.

As a result of Lapid’s remarks on the film, many including the team of The Kashmir Files attacked him. Subsequently, the Israeli filmmaker himself came forward and issued an apology for his remarks.

Reaction of the people who watched the film

After the film’s release, several videos showed people in theatres raising genocidal and Islamophobic slogans after watching the film. The Kashmir Files has been called out countless times for polarization by vilifying the Muslim community and adding to the growing prejudice against the minority community.

While such is the effect on one part of the audience, Kashmiri Pandits themselves are up in arms against the Government’s rehabilitation policy. Terrorists killed four Kashmiri Pandits on their return to the Kashmir Valley. The protesters have sought more protection for people who return to the Valley from terror elements.

If one was to look at The Kashmir Files and its version of the truth, India has itself chosen not to send the film as its 2022 Oscars’ entry. That decision nails the claims of its makers.

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Animal Box office collection: Ranbir Kapoor delivers his biggest opener as film earns Rs 61 crore

According to trade expert Ramesh Bala, the film’s worldwide collection on its opening day is between Rs 110-115 crore. He took to X (Fomerly Twitter) and wrote Animal has made $2.5 million in North America on opening day.

Published

2 days ago

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December 2, 2023

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Ranbir Kapoor’s film Animal has delivered the biggest opening at the Indian box office. The Sandeep Reddy Vanga directorial opened to mixed reviews with many fans calling the film as misogynistic. But it seems Animal has found its audience as the film earned Rs 61 crore in India.

According to trade expert Ramesh Bala, the film’s worldwide collection on its opening day is between Rs 110-115 crore. He took to X (Fomerly Twitter) and wrote Animal has made $2.5 million in North America on opening day. The film had a total of 1318 shows in the Delhi NCR region and had a total occupancy of 79%. In Chennai the Tamil version of Animal had 88 shows and witnessed a total occupancy of 30%. In Telugu, the film had 316 shows in Hyderabad and the occupancy was 82%.

In Mumbai Animal had 1040 shows and the occupancy rate was over 55%. Shah Rukh Khan’s Jawan has got the highest opening 2023 which made Rs 75 crore on its opening day. The second position was held by Pathaan which made 57 crore on its opening day. But Animal has surpassed Pathaan to take up the second spot. Tiger 3 was at the third position as the film collected Rs 44.50 crore on its opening day.

Animal was released along with Vicky Kaushal’s Sam Bahadur which has only manged to collect Rs 5.5 crore nett in India. It seems Animal will overpower Sam Bahadur but due to the polarized response to the Ranbir Kapoor film can work in favour of Sam Bahadur.

Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s previous film Kabir Singh had an opening of of Rs 20.21 crore but eventually made over Rs 278 crore nett during its running period. For Ranbir Kapoor, the biggest hit in cinemas so far has been Rajkumar Hirani film Sanju with a total box office collection of Rs 342.53 crore.

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Shah Rukh Khan shares new song Nikle The Kabhi Hum Ghar Se from his upcoming film Dunki

Red Chillies Entertainment shared a clip from the song and wrote Feel the nostalgia for home in note of this heart warming melody

Published

3 days ago

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December 1, 2023

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Shah Rukh Khan shared new song Nikle The Kabhi Hum Ghar Se from his upcoming film Dunki. The song has been sung by Sonu Nigam and the music has been composed by Pritam. The Lyrics of the song have been given by Javed Akhtar. The song tells the journey that Shah Rukh Khan’s character and his friends make in the film.

Dunki deals with the subject of mass migration of Indian youth to countries such as England and Canada. The film tells the story of four friends and their quest to reach foreign shores. It is a sentimental song and delves into the profound ache of yearning ones’s homeland. This sentiment resonates deep within the hearts of those who have been separated from their roots in pursuit of a brighter future. Shah Rukh Khan Took to X (Formely Twitter) and wrote Today I am sharing this song that came to my heart with you.

Raju and Sonu seem like one of our own just by name. And this song which both of them have composed is also their own. It is about our family members, it is about our soil, it is about finding solace in the arms of our country. Sometimes we all go away from home, from the village, from the city, to make a life. But our hearts remain in our homes, in our country only. Khan said this is his favourite song from Dunki. Red Chillies Entertainment shared a clip from the song and wrote Feel the nostalgia for home in note of this heart warming melody

Dunki has been directed by Rajkumar Hirani and also stars Anil Grover, Vikram Kochhar, Vicky Kaushal, Taapsee Pannu and Boman Irani. Dunki has been written by Abhijat Joshi, Rajkumar Hirani and Kanika Dhillon. The film is scheduled to be released in cinemas on December 21.

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Sam Bahadur social media review: Fans say blockbuster loading

Katrina Kaif said Megna Gulzar has created such a poetic beautiful classic film that she was transported to another era. She said one could see the passion to telling a story and attention to detail in every shot

Published

3 days ago

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December 1, 2023

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Sam Bahadur released in cinemas today. The film tells the real life story of Sam Manekshaw, India’s first Field Marshall. The film shows his entire life starting from a young officer to rising up the ladder and eventually becoming extremely instrumental in the formation of Bangladesh. The social media had all praises for the Vicky Kaushal film.

One social media user gave Sam Bahadur 4/5 star rating. He said the film was bold, courageous and on the point. He said SamBahadur is a terrific film and it is filled with moments that make a true Indian proud of the Indian army and many unsung heroes.

One user Gaurav S Dave was amazed at the response to Sam Bahadur screening by the audience. He said he could clearly hear people shouting National award for Vicky Kaushal.

One social media user Rajat R Lunkad said Sam Bahadur is a cinematic marvel. He compared Vicky Kaushal’s portrayal as Sam Manekshaw as tour de France. He said Kaushal’s nuanced performance brings the characters to life and showcases depth and authenticity. He said the film was a remarkable display of talent that adds an extra layer of brilliance to the film. He said the film was a top contender for a national award. He added the film had exceptional storytelling and direction by Meghna Gulzar with powerful visuals and an emotional journey which resonates with the audience. He gave the film 4/5 star rating.

One social media user said Sam Bahdur is a terrific movie with top class acting by Vicky Kaushal and class direction by Meghna Gulzar. He said it is a classical, bold and one of the best films made on the Indian army.

One user said Sam Bahadur is a masterpiece. She said the storyline is brilliant and fantastic. She said Vicky Kaushal was a one man army and steals the show. She said the direction is top class and acting of all actors is literally amazing. She said overall it is a good movie and gave 4/5 star rating. 

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