Israeli filmmaker and International Film Festival of India (IFFI) jury head, Nadav Lapid, took social media by storm after he dubbed the Vivek Agnihotri directorial The Kashmir Files a propaganda and a vulgar film. More than a week after receiving backlash from all corners, the director has apologised for his insensitive comments.
In an interview with CNN-News18, Lapid expressed that he spoke on behalf of the entire jury. He apologised and said that his remarks weren’t an insult to people who have suffered. As quoted by Hindustan Times, he said, "I didn’t want to insult anyone, and my aim was never to insult people or their relatives, who have suffered. I totally totally totally apologize if that’s the way they interpreted." He proceeded to share that his comments represented the thoughts of fellow jury members. ALSO READ: SHOCKING! Vivek Agnihotri Announces ‘The Kashmir Files: Unreported’ After Israeli Filmmaker Calls It A Vulgar Film; Says, ‘Isi Saal Ke Andar Andar Leke Aunga’
Actor Anupam Kher, who plays the lead in the movie, celebrated his apology by taking to Instagram. Sharing a post, he captioned the image, "Ultimately Truth always triumphs!" Fans hailed the actor for standing up against Nadav’s crude comments.
The Kashmir Files director, Vivek Agnihotri, too reacted to the apology. In an interview with Hindustan Times, the 49-year-old shared that he doesn’t care about the apology. He further said, "I have come to shoot in Pune, and I am getting so much love for the film. People are thanking me for making the film, so why do I need an endorsement from a foreigner? What does he know about my country."
Talking about Navad Lapid, In an earlier interview with Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz, the 47-year-old filmmaker had shared that he stands by his remarks. He was quoted by Hindustan Times saying, "Making bad films is not a crime, but this is a very crude, manipulative and violent propaganda film. The truth is that I also couldn't help but imagine a similar situation that might happen one day soon in Israel, and I would be happy that in such a situation the head of a foreign jury would be willing to say things as he sees them." ALSO READ: Anupam Kher Compares The Kashmir Files To Hollywood-Classic Schindler's List? Reacts To IFFI Jury Head Who Called His Film ‘Propaganda’ And ‘Vulgar’!
"The film was pushed into the official competition of the festival due to political pressure," he added further.
For the unversed, the movie covers the tragic experiences faced by the Kashmiri Pandits from the valley during the early 1990s. It went on to become one of the highest-grossing movies in Bollywood in 2022.
Image Source: Instagram