Israeli envoy slams their filmmaker for absurd remarks on 'The Kashmir Files' at IIFI Goa

Vivek Agnihotri's 'The Kashmir Files' have yet again grabbed the limelight and this time its for a different reason. Recently at the IFFI Goa, Israeli filmmkar Nadav Lapid made some shocking remarks on the film that was screened at the event. In response to Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid's critique of "The Kashmir Files" at the International Film Festival of India, Israel's ambassador to India, Naor Gilon, has sent an open letter to Lapid (IFFI). 

The Israel representative claimed in a string of tweets that Nadav should be ashamed of himself and that he had 'abused' the offer to lead IFFI. 

Stating that Nadav should be ashamed, Gilon wrote, “In Indian culture, they say a guest is like God. You have abused in the worst way the Indian invitation to chair the panel of judges at IFFI Goa as well as the trust, respect and warm hospitality they have bestowed on you. I’m no film expert but I do know that it’s insensitive and presumptuous to speak about historic events before deeply studying them, and which are an open would in India because many of the involved are still around and paying the price." 

He had further tweeted, “As a son of a holocaust survivor, I was extremely hurt to see reactions in India to you that are doubting Schindler’s List, the Holocaust and worse. I unequivocally condemn such statements. There is no justification. It does show the sensitivity of the Kashmir issue here.”

This debate was started by Nadav Lapid's remarks at the IFFI closing ceremony.  He stated that,  "We were all surprised and horrified by the fifteenth movie, The Kashmir Files. That seemed like a crass, propagandist film that had no place in the aesthetic competition of such a prominent film festival. I feel completely at ease discussing my sentiments with you here, on stage."

After which The Kashmir Files actors  Anupam Kher, Darshan Kumaar expressed their disappointment on the same. Anupam Kher took to his twitter and wrote,"No matter how high the height of the lie is.. It is always small in comparison to the truth." He attached pictures from the movie with his tweet.

For the unversed, 'The Kashmir Files' released earlier this year in theatres and it told the story about the Hindu exodus in 1990s and targetted 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.