Vivek Agnihotri's The Kashmir Files won the National Film Award in the 'Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration' category. The winners of the 69th edition National Film Awards were announced on August 24 in New Delhi.
The film was surrounded by controversies when it released in March 2022. It is once again making headlines as its National Award win has left netizens divided.
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also mocked the film for receiving the award. Reacting to a news post about the victory, Omar Abdullah wrote on X (formerly called Twitter), "National integration," and added a laughing emoticon.
The filmmaker, however, was quick to react to his post. He replied, "This is the biggest award coming from you @OmarAbdullah. If you had commented otherwise, I would have been very disappointed. Thanks again."
Reacting to the film's big win, Vivek Agnihotri said on Thursday, "I've always said that The Kashmir Files is not my film. I was just a medium. This film is the voice of the victims of terrorism in Kashmir. I dedicate this award to victims of terrorism, especially the Kashmiri Hindus. We worked very hard so that this film reaches everyone globally."
Vivek Agnihotri's wife, actress Pallavi Joshi, also won the prestigious award for her performance as a supporting actor in The Kashmir Files.
The Kashmir Files is a true story based on video interviews of the first generation victims of The Kashmir Genocide of the Kashmiri Pandit Community. It is written and directed by Vivek Agnihotri and stars Mithun Chakraborty, Anupam Kher, Darshan Kumaar, Pallavi Joshi and Chinmay Mandlekar.
