The Kashmir Files-IFFI Row: Lapid stands by his comments, says it’s a ‘propaganda disguised as a movie’

The Kashmir Files-IFFI Row: Undaunted by the widespread criticism of his comments against the Hindi film “The Kashmir Files”, Israeli director and IFFI international jury chair Nadav Lapid said he stands by his remarks as he “knows how to recognise propaganda disguised as a movie”. Reacting to the backlash he received for calling “The Kashmir Files” a “vulgar” and “propaganda” movie, Lapid said making bad films is not a crime, but the Vivek Agnihotri directorial is “crude, manipulative and violent”.

“Making bad films is not a crime, but this is a very crude, manipulative and violent propaganda film,” Lapid said in an interview with Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz. According to the filmmaker, he felt it was his “duty” to speak his mind as the head of the international jury. “The truth is that I also couldn’t help but imagine a similar situation that might happen one day soon in Israel, and I would be happy that in such a situation the head of a foreign jury would be willing to say things as he sees them.

In a way, I felt it was my duty to the place that invited me,” he said.

The award-winning filmmaker had called out “The Kashmir Files”, which was screened at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) on November 22 under the Indian Panorama section, at the closing ceremony of the nine-day festival in Goa on Monday.

The team of “The Kashmir Files”, including writer-director Agnihotri, stars Anupam Kher and Pallavi Joshi, several BJP leaders including Goa CM Pramod Sawant as well as Israel’s Ambassador to India Naor Gilon and Consul General to Midwest India Kobbi Shoshani panned Lapid.

Lapid, known for his anti-establishment views, alleged that “The Kashmir Files” was “pushed into the official competition” of the festival. “We learned that the film was pushed into the official competition of the festival due to political pressure. I feel as a foreigner who arrives there, you have an obligation to say the things that the people who live there may have a harder time saying. In such contexts, I don’t believe in secrets and whispers. If you stand on stage and are asked to speak, what will you talk about? Only about the beaches, you saw and the food you ate?” the filmmaker said.

On the criticism he has received from Israel diplomats in India, Lapid said his comments were “political” but not representative of his country. Amid the social media backlash and on-ground protests by Kashmiri Pandits in Jammu, the acclaimed director found support in Congress leader Supriya Shrinate, Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, and actor Swara Bhasker.

Also Read: The Kashmir Files-IFFI Row: Swara Bhaskar supports Nadav Lapid’s ‘vulgar’ comment; gets trolled by netizens

Also Read: The Kashmir Files-IFFI Row: Vivek Agnihotri, Anupam Kher, Darshan & others slam Israeli filmmaker

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