The Kashmir Files, the movie by Vivek Agnihotri on the persecution of Kashmiri Pandits, continues to stay in the headlines. A host of BJP leaders have been openly promoting the movie over the past week. Perhaps, some leaders are promoting it too strongly.
On Sunday, Vivek Agnihotri took to Twitter to share a poster that purportedly shows an open invitation for a free screening of The Kashmir Files in Rewari, Haryana. The poster invites people to the Swarn Jayanti Park in Rewari at 6.30pm on Sunday.
Agnihotri tweeted tagging Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. He wrote “Showing The Kashmir Files like this in open and free is a CRIMINAL OFFENCE. Dear @mlkhattar ji, I’d request you to stop this. Political leaders must respect creative business and true Nationalism and Social service means buying tickets in a legal and peaceful manner.”
Agnihotri even pulled up another Twitter user, who appeared to question his business motives. Agnihotri wrote “You put Modi jis name in your DP and encourage people to show illegal and pirated copy in unconstitutional manner? Is that what you really want? If you want to see it free, ask me… I’ll book tickets.”
The Kashmir Files appears to be continuing its solid performance in theatres. Hindustan Times reported “The film earned ₹24.80 crore on Friday... is inching towards joining the ₹150 crore club.”
On Sunday, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut spoke on the promotion of The Kashmir Files by politicians. Raut was quoted by ANI as saying “It is not right to do politics on a sensitive issue like Kashmir... The Kashmir Files is just a film, I don't think it will provide any political advantage to anyone in the coming elections.”
Raut also criticised the film's portrayal of some issues. “Whether the events shown in the film are true or not can be discussed later. Many things shown in the film are being questioned that are not true. Many people are also saying that there are many facts that were supposed to be shown, but are not shown. Muslims were also among those who died at that time. There were many officers whose lives were saved by Muslims, these are all such things that could be in the film but are not there,” he said.
