Christina d'souza
Unlike Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s films, Agnihotri has no time for any sort of romance in the Valley. As a counterpoint to Vishal Bhardwaj‘s Haider, the documentary argues that Kashmiri Muslims deserve to be punished for what they’ve done to the Pandits and other minorities in Kashmir.
To be honest and real, the movie Kashmir Files is not suited for soft-hearted people, as it will either make you cry or make you angry against certain people. The movie is based on true events and revolves around the hatred of a group of Muslim religious people towards the Kashmiri Pandit minority, as well as the exodus and murdering of Kashmiri Pandits in the 1990s. The rage of Muslims seeking an act of revenge against Kashmiri Pandits has grown to the point that they wanted to expel every Kashmiri Hindu Pandits and claim Kashmir for themselves.
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Every character beginning from Anupam Kher, Pallavi Joshi, Darshan Kumaar, Mithun Chakraborty to many others, have performed their roles very well. It is the harsh truth of the 1990s which makes the youth and practically everyone realise the actual truth behind the genocide of the Kashmiri Pandits.
From the opening scene, it feels like you’re a part of the story and as if you are a character experiencing everything happening in front of you. The documentary challenges the deep-rooted belief system.
We are not always aware of the truth, and we believe that we know everything, but we don’t. To realise the actual reality, we must go through it and understand the people who have been through challenging circumstances.
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The video confronts you with numerous factual and disturbing incidents, compelling you to learn more about the tragic times and circumstances that led to what happened in Kashmir in the year 1990. The more you learn about it, the more it frustrates you. Hundreds of emotions and thoughts are sparked. It makes us wonder how this whole situation has been portrayed to the public in such a different storyline for so long. Is it still possible for us to accept the truth? Are we prepared to go through the events that have bruised every emotion and created fear in even the little kids in Kashmir? I think we are not yet ready for it. We haven’t been in these difficult situations where they were.
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The truth or let’s say the tragedy of Kashmir must be spoken, faced, and accepted; not to relive the agony, not to generate fear or hate, but to ensure that such an occurrence never occurs again. We can never have harmony if we turn our backs on the painful reality and lack the guts to confront it; we cannot achieve peace if we ignore that it was fanatical Islamic terrorism/uprising that was also not opposed by the majority of people of Kashmir. This genocide and following exodus should be recognised as a mark on tolerance and humanity.
Vivek Agnihotri‘s choice of subject and bravery in going against the flow are some of the many reasons we admire him for his film, which reveals a side of the story that compels you to explore more into the theme as well as the background along with the actual reality and truth of which we were unaware of. We may not have been able to realise the truth behind people’s suffering if this documentary had not been made. You must see the film only if you are willing to confront the harsh realities of our society, to ask yourself painful questions, and to face the harsh realities of our society.
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