There is no doubt that The Kashmir Files directed by Vivek Agnihotri has been one of the most controversial films of 2022. Even after its box-office success, many have openly criticized it as a ‘propaganda film’. After The Kashmir Files made it to the Oscar shortlist among 301 other titles, some filmmakers are targeting Vivek and his film based on the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the Kashmir Valley in the early 1990s. After Vivek expressed happiness over The Kashmir Files being shortlisted for the Oscars, Aseem Chhabra and Hansal Mehta took to social media to take a veiled dig at the filmmaker.
Vivek Agnihotri on The Kashmir Files making Oscars shortlist
Vivek Agnihotri celebrated The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) naming The Kashmir Files among the 301 films eligible for Oscar 2023 nominations. He congratulated the entire team and actors by sharing a post on Instagram. Anupam KherPallavi Joshi, Mithun Chakraborty and Darshan Kumar to be eligible in the Best Actor category.
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Hansal Mehta and Aseem Chhabra react to Vivelk Agnihotri’s tweet
Responding to Vivek Agnihotri’s ‘premature’ celebration, Aseem Chhabra wrote, “Let me make this clear – the filmmaker who is claiming that his divisive film has been “shortlisted” for the Oscars, is lying Used to be. His film is only eligible for Oscar. Any film can qualify if it has a limited run in LA (sic).
Responding to this, Hansal sarcastically wrote, “You are a genocide denying traitor (sic).” His words seemed to take a dig at Vivek, who is often seen calling people criticizing The Kashmir Files as ‘anti-national’.
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The Academy’s reminder list includes films that may officially compete in various categories, but mere inclusion on the list does not guarantee that a film will advance to the final nominations for the Academy Awards to be announced on January 24.