Anupam Kher slams IFFI jury head’s remarks on ‘The Kashmir Files’, says, ‘If holocaust is right, the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits...’

Panaji: Bollywood actor Anupam Kher, who played a prominent role in `The Kashmir Files` reacted to IFFI Jury Head Nadav Lapid for calling the film "propaganda, vulgar" at the festival`s closing ceremony on Monday. Taking to Twitter, he wrote, “No matter how high the height of the lie is.. It is always small in comparison to the truth” referring to the incident. Apart from the statement, he also added pictures of himself from the film alongwith some stills from Steven Spielberg's film Schindler's List.

A lot of netizens also came out in support of Anupam Kher and slammed Nadav Lapid for calling ‘The Kashmir Files’ vulgar and propaganda. “We call out their paid agenda. A public apology must be sought from Nadav Lapid,” commented a user. “Truth of genocide of Kashmiri Pundits is absolute in it's own right, do not dehumanize them all over again by forcing them to make it relative to the holocaust,” added another user. 

See Anupam Kher's tweet

झूट का क़द कितना भी ऊँचा क्यों ना हो..
सत्य के मुक़ाबले में हमेशा छोटा ही होता है.. pic.twitter.com/OfOiFgkKtD — Anupam Kher (@AnupamPKher) November 28, 2022

Anupam Kher slams Nadav Lapid

#WATCH | Anupam Kher speaks to ANI on Int'l Film Festival of India Jury Head remarks for 'Kashmir Files', "...If holocaust is right, the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits is right too. Seems pre-planned as immediately after that the toolkit gang became active. May God give him wisdom.." pic.twitter.com/cUQ1bqzFs7 — ANI (@ANI) November 29, 2022

The controversy on the film began when a video from the festival went viral in which Lapid is seen making controversial remarks about the film. One of the members of the festival`s PR team confirmed to ANI that the Israeli filmmaker made the remark at the closing ceremony. "I would like to thank the head of the festival and the director of the programming for the cinematic richness of the programme, for its diversity, for its complexity. It was intense. We saw seven films in the debutant competition, and 15 films in the international competition, the front window of the festival. 14 out of them had cinematic qualities, defaults and evoked vivid discussions," he said in his speech. 

"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," he further said. 

`The Kashmir Files` released earlier this year in theatres and it told the story about the Hindu exodus in 1990s and targeted killings of the Kashmiri Pandits. The movie went on to become one of the highest-grossing Bollywood movies of 2022 and Anupam Kher received acclaim for his performance.  

(With inputs from ANI)