If you disagree with Vivek's 'The Kashmir Files', make another movie - Tehseen Ponawalla

Vivek Agnihotri's The Kashmir Files is inching towards a 200 crore worldwide box office collection and has been garnering a lot of attention, even though many are of a divided opinion. Featuring the likes of Anupam Kher, Darshan Kumar, Pallavi Joshi, Mithun Chakraborty, among others, the movie narrates the heart wrenching incident of the exodus of the Kashmiri pandits from Kashmir.

Political analyst Tehseen Poonawalla, who was recently in Lock Upp, spoke about the movie's success, what he feels about it, and some more.

Talking to India Forums, he said,

''At the onset, I would like to congratulate my dear friend Vivek for the stupendous success of the movie, The Kashmir Files. We disagree to each other on a number of issues and oppose each other, but we have been extremely civil with each other on social media and I have had wonderful discussions. We both counter each other, agreeing to disagreeing with the other person and maintain a healthy respect for the opposite position. In fact, very few people know this, before I went for my reality show, Vivek asked me to tweet about The Kashmir Files and I gladly did.''

He further added,

''None of us, I repeat, none of us can disagree with the fact that our Kashmiri pandit fellow citizens were persecuted and forced to leave their homes in Kashmir. We may disagree with some of the events in the movie, with who is responsible for that, but the fact that they were attacked is iron clad and the government of India needs to continue to rehabilitate them and serve justice. I believe firmly that this healing process was started by PM Vajpayee and taken to a high level by PM Manmohan Singh who ensured that none of the Kashmiri pandits had to live in refugee camps and were given houses. I think it is the onus of the current government to ensure that justice is served. There are many people who disagree with certain points in the movie while others support the movie and want Vivek to put all the money towards the rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits. I don't agree to either. If you disagree with Vivek's movie, make another movie to counter but do not call for stalling or banning it, that is not what liberal democracies do. As for the profits he made, I stand by him. Vivek believed in the movie and the subject, he has done his bit by making the movie. I wish Vivek, Pallavi, Anupam Kher all the best.''

Meanwhile, Anupam Kher, filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri, among others, continue to express their gratitude for all the love that the movie has received from time to time on social media.