The Kashmir Files, which released on March 11 this year, has become a blockbuster at the box office and received accolades from the audiences and critics alike. Many have also criticised its director Vivek Agnihotri for making a propaganda film on the sensitive issue of the exodus of the Kashmiri Pandits in early 1990.
Recently, Vivek Agnihotri was trolled after sharing a behind the scenes video from the sets of the film featuring him and Anupam Kher, who plays the role of Pushkarnath. Vivek Agnihotri is seen bursting into tears in the video. In a tweet, the filmmaker said that he could not control his emotions after shooting the scene. He claimed that he did not cry when his mother died in 2004 and father died in 2008, but this scene made him cry. Vivek ended his tweet by requesting everyone to watch The Kashmir Files for this particular scene. In the 50 second video, Vivek can be seen hugging Anupam Kher and crying.
“When my mother died in 2004, I didn’t cry. When my father died in 2008, I didn’t cry. But when I shot this death scene with @AnupamPKher I couldn’t stop. No son could. Such is the intensity of pain of our Kashmiri Hindu parents. Pl watch #TheKashmirFiles only for this scene”, Vivek Agnihotri tweeted.
When my mother died in 2004, I didn’t cry. When my father died in 2008, I didn’t cry.But when I shot this death scene with @AnupamPKher I couldn’t stop. No son could. Such is the intensity of pain of our Kashmiri Hindu parents.
Pl watch #TheKashmirFiles only for this scene. pic.twitter.com/nEA8lYeUwI
— Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) April 1, 2022
However, this emotional video has not been liked by many and the filmmaker was trolled for faking emotions for the Kashmir Pandit families. A user wrote that if someone cannot cry on their parents’ death, they are emotionless people. This user wrote further that if someone has no sympathy for his parents, how can he have compassion for Kashmiri Pandit families.
These all are propaganda .If a son/daughter didn’t cry on his parent’s death that clearly shoes he/she is totaly emotionless person and having no sympathy to any one .
Wo kisi k liye cry nhi karega weather it us kashmiri pandit or genral pandit .
— Tunna Preet (@Tunnapreet1) April 1, 2022
Another user wrote, “ How sad and unnatural at the same time. Haven’t seen anyone who doesn’t cry when his own parents die in real life. But cries when someone dies in a film! Overshooting melodrama of this level can only be done by Dr Dang and his friends.”
How sad and unnatural at the same time. Haven’t seen anyone who doesn’t cry when his own parents die in real life. But cries when someone dies in a film ! Overshooting melodrama of this level can only be done by Dr Deng and his friends.— Jigar Shah (@JigarSh1974) April 1, 2022
Another lambasted the director saying that if he was such concerned about Kashmiri Pandit family’s plight why video has been specially recorded?
And you wanted this private emotional scene to be recorded so could u show it public. Yeah cry nahi hai yeah dramatic cry hai 😂— DA (@DimpleA61567183) April 1, 2022
The filmmaker also drew the ire of one user for monetising the death of his parents.
It was wrong whatever happened in Kashmir. Watching & promoting movie is also fine. But trying to monetize on the name of death of your parents shows real of you. Not ridiculous statement? “When my mother died in 2004, I didn’t cry. When my father died in 2008, I didn’t cry “— Ankush (@ankushsingh1) April 1, 2022
Mithun Chakraborty, Anupam Kher, Darshan Kumaar, Pallavi Joshi and others are playing important roles in the movie. The film has already grossed over Rs 200 crore at the box office.
