During a recent podcast appearance, filmmaker Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri opened up about the emotional and societal impact of The Kashmir Files. When asked what the Kashmiri community gained from the film, Agnihotri recounted a powerful anecdote about Girija Devi’s family. “For 30 years, they hadn’t spoken about her. After watching the film, they came together on a Zoom call and cried all night. For the first time, they felt healed,” he said, adding that this emotional closure is one of the most significant things the Kashmiri Pandit community has experienced from the film.
Agnihotri also spoke about the film’s global influence on the Kashmir narrative. He highlighted how The Kashmir Files was screened in the UK Parliament and Germany, helping to challenge long-standing misconceptions. “Earlier, people casually raised slogans like ‘Free Kashmir.’ But post the film’s release, there’s been a noticeable shift. Yasin Malik is now in jail, and a tribunal has been created for Kashmiri Pandits to voice their experiences. There’s a new national awareness and dignity around discussing their story,” he stated.
Released in 2022, The Kashmir Files became a box office hit and ignited widespread debate across India and beyond. Agnihotri emphasized that the film’s impact went beyond cinema, stating, “It changed the consciousness of the country.” Now, he is gearing up for his next project, The Bengal Files, written and directed by him and produced in collaboration with Tej Narayan Agarwal and I Am Buddha Productions. The film is set for a worldwide release on September 5.
