Vivek Agnihotri calls Singapore 'most regressive censor in world' as it bans 'The Kashmir Files'

Hours after it was announced that Singapore has decided to ban 'The Kashmir Files', director Vivek Agnihotri stated that the country has the 'most regressive' censorship system in the world.

Congress veteran Shashi Tharoor shared a clipping of a news article which explained why Singapore banned the film and took a dig at Agnihotri on Monday.

"Film promoted by India’s ruling party, #KashmirFiles, banned in Singapore," he tweeted.

In a response to his tweet, Agnihotri wrote, "Singapore is most regressive censor in the world. It even banned The Last Temptations of Jesus Christ (ask your madam)."

"Even a romantic film called #TheLeelaHotelFiles will be banned. Pl stop making fun of Kashmiri Hindu Genocide," he added.

To drive his point home, he also added a list a popular films that have been hailed worldwide but are banned by Singapore.

The Singapore censor board authorities have assessed 'The Kashmir Files' to be "beyond" Singapore's film classification guidelines.

"The film will be refused classification for its provocative and one-sided portrayal of Muslims and the depictions of Hindus being persecuted in the on-going conflict in Kashmir," the authorities told Channel News Asia, as per PTI.

"These representations have the potential to cause enmity between different communities, and disrupt social cohesion and religious harmony in our multiracial and multi-religious society," they said.

Under the film classification guidelines, "any material that is denigrating to racial or religious communities in Singapore" will be refused classification, they added.

'The Kashmir Files' emerged to be a critical and commercial success in India and theatres were seen jampacked even after two weeks of its release.

The film stars Anupam Kher, Mithun Chakraborty, Pallavi Joshi, Darshan Kumar, and others, in key roles.