Jammu and Kashmir-based political parties National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday said that ‘The Kashmir Files’ winning the Nargis Dutt award for ‘best film on national integration’ is very “unfortunate”.
The winners of the 69th National Film Awards were announced on Thursday by filmmaker Ketan Mehta who headed an 11-member jury.
“There is not a single scene in that movie that depicts national integration…. Unfortunately, the movie only shows Kashmiri Muslims in bad light. Not only that, a lot of agencies, including Jammu and Kashmir Police, have been shown in a very bad light,” National Conference chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq said. He said that the film shouldn’t have won the award on national integration and that it is “very unfortunate”.
Alleging that the film was “divisive” and “created hatred among communities”, PDP chief spokesperson Suhail Bukhari said that the film winning an award on ‘national integration’ was “ironic”.
“Nothing can be more ironic than this. A film that is peddling lies…creating divisions and thus disintegrating the country, that is vilifying and villainizing the J-K Muslim population, has been given an award for national integration,” he said, as quoted by PTI.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, NC leader and former chief minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday wrote “national integration” along with a laughing emoji.
Following the announcement, Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri who directed the film said that he dedicates his award to victims of terrorism, especially Kashmiri Hindus.
“This award I am dedicating on the behalf of our IamBuddha Production Company to all the victims of terrorists especially to the Kashmiri Hindus and besides that to all the Indians who are facing terrorism. This film is their voice, their sufferings so it belongs to them,” Agnihotri, who is in the US, said in a statement.
He also responded to Omar Abdullah’s post on X, saying that his comment was the “biggest award”.
“This is the biggest award coming from you @OmarAbdullah. If you had commented otherwise, I would have been very disappointed. Thanks again,” Agnihotri wrote on X.