Vivek Agnihotri: “Most Americans Have No Idea About Kashmir Conflict”:

Suspense crime, Digital Desk : Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri, a prominent filmmaker who directed The Kashmir Files, lamented the absence of international concern regarding the Kashmir issue, particularly from the Americans. In an interview with India Today Digital, Agnihotri asserted that American diplomats as well as the general public seem to lack knowledge about the geopolitical intricacies of the region.

“I just came back from the US and I know they have absolutely no idea about this region or how it works,” Agnihotri remarked. He believes this lack understanding stems from the lack of emotional and historical context that is available for Western audiences.

Soft power through Movies

Agnihotri is of the opinion that movies can shape people's perception of countries. He took the example of how Hollywood portrayed the Holocaust. He also stated that India needs to portray the truth and suffering of Kashmiris greatly out there using cinema.

“Kashmir is rich in softer power potential of Kashmir, we need to make more films on it, the same way Hollywood made countless films on the Holocaust,” he said. It is important, he said, to compassionately tell the true accounts of the people who suffered there.

Chronological Issues Spotlighting Recent Events

Agnihotri mentioned the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack where India lost 26 civilians as well as India’s retaliatory precision strikes. He stated that those events have incidentally brought some level of international focus to Kashmir, albeit for a very short period of time. “They don’t know, they are not aware,” he has stated asking for emotionally raw and honest deep narratives. “My next project will be ‘The Bengal Files’ Agnihotri revealed looking to the future, which will analyze the socio-political dynamics of West Bengal. He remarked, “Bengal is becoming another Kashmir.” He defended that, no, he is not blaming anyone, but rather explaining the neglect-induced suffering.

Everything devoid of humanity shunned in ‘The Bengal Files’

The is no focus on blame, but rather on the state of neglect that humanity is absent in a region devoid of empathy. “What happens when humanity is absent in a region and nobody cares,” he added.

Defending Aggressive Filmmaking

People often tend to disregard the political reactionary wave attached to Agnihotri’s films, to which he added though each subjected is extensively researched, he has offered them every angle possible. “Until they feel the pain and the suffering of victims… people will never understand the gravity of the matter,” said Agnihotri.

Anupam Kher, Mithun Chakraborty, Pallavi Joshi, and Darshan Kumar featured in his 2022 film The Kashmir Files which was a blockbuster hit. It received acclaim for portraying the exodus of the Kashmiri Pandits in a striking and unrefined manner.