Israeli director defends criticism of India ‘propaganda’ movie after backlash: ‘Someone needs to speak up’

Nadav Lapid, the Israeli filmmaker at the centre of a political storm in India, has defended his comments at the International Film Festival of India where he called out the contentious The Kashmir Files as a “propaganda vulgar movie”.

At the festival’s closing ceremony on Monday, Mr Lapid, who headed the jury, said: “All of us were disturbed and shocked... by the movie The Kashmir Files that felt to us like a propaganda vulgar movie inappropriate for an artistic competitive section of such a prestigious film festival.”

His comments in the presence of federal government ministers in the audience have triggered backlash with critics accusing him of trivialising the plight of Kashmiri Pandits.

The movie depicts the early 1990s exodus of hundreds of thousands of people, mainly Hindus, from the Himalayan federal territory amid threats of terror.

Speaking to Israeli news outlet Ynet, Mr Lapid said that he was apprehensive but stands by his comments despite the backlash.

“I knew that this was an event that is terribly connected to the country, and everyone stands there and praises the government. It is not an easy position, because you are a guest, I am the president of the jury here, you are treated very nicely. And then you come and attack the festival. There was apprehension, and there was discomfort,” he said.

“I didn’t know what the dimensions would be, so I did it with some apprehension. Yes, I spent the day apprehensive. Let’s put it this way: I’m happy to be on my way to the airport now.”

The film has been criticised for propagating anti-Muslim agenda and the right-wing narrative of persecution of the majority Hindus in the country.

Several incidents of anti-Muslim violence also flared up in various parts of the country in the aftermath of the film’s release, deepening concerns about minority rights in India.

The film was widely promoted by prime minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which also gave tax breaks in multiple states to the film.

Mr Lapid said that despite the outrage against his comments, including those from Israel’s ambassador Naor Gilon, someone “needs to speak up.”

“In countries that are increasingly losing the ability to speak your mind or speak the truth, someone needs to speak up,” he said.

“When I saw this movie, I couldn’t help but imagine its Israeli equivalent, which doesn’t exist but could definitely exist. So I felt I had to, because I come from a place that is itself not reformed and is itself on the way to these places.”