"Planned By Toolkit Gang": Anupam Kher On Criticism Of 'Kashmir Files'

Nadav Lapid, Anupam Kher said, could have called "The Kashmir Files" a "bad film. Badly acted or directed film. But his choice of words indicates that he had an agenda, or was pleasing some people," he said.

Israeli film-maker Nadav Lapid's criticism of the movie "The Kashmir Files" was the product of a "sick mind" or a "planned  strategy by the toolkit gang", noted actor Anupam Kher told NDTV this evening. Mr Kher has been part of the cast of the film, made by Vivek Agnitori, which has been in the spotlight again after Mr Lapid's criticism from the stage of the 53rd International film Festival held in Goa.

"If he did not like it, if he wanted, he could have just called it a bad film but to use words like 'vulgar propaganda' exposes his sick mind… If he had a problem with it, he could have gone to his social media platform and expressed his views but he chose the film festival's platform to create a scene," Mr Kher said.

"The remarks were vulgar, or that of a sick mind or of a planned strategy by the toolkit gang. There is no reason other than that for making that statement. First he should have discussed it in the jury room. It is not the job of a jury member to criticise a film publicly," he added.

Mr Lapid, Mr Kher said, could have called it a bad film. "Badly acted or directed film. But his choice of words indicates that he had an agenda, or was pleasing some people," he said.