The Kashmir Files Quotes

Interview, Times of India The real harm comes when someone starts targeting and stalking you. This is where the threat begins. I faced this thing last year also when they shot fatwas against me in Kashmir. They said, ‘We will never let you enter Kashmir. We will ensure this film never gets released’. When I was in the US to give speeches in top universities, I was heckled by Kashmiri Muslims or Pakistani boys. I understand all these things, but stalking is really scary because it’s about your young teenage daughter. These days she is on Instagram, so it’s very easy to find and connect.

Krishna Pandit You are studying in India's topmost university but you don't know who Araqi is?

Opening Credits This film is dedicated to all the persecuted minorities in the world.

Interview, Times of India You tell me which is the most discussed issue in India than Kashmir? It's the most discussed theme in the world and in 1990, 5 lakh people were forced to leave their motherland and people who came from outside killed 4000 Kashmiri Hindus, committed genocide. Who are these people? They came from Iran and Iraq for refuge and these Kashmiri Hindus gave them refuge. Today they have thrown them out. What can be a more interesting story than this? If the youngsters are not told about this story, believe me, it’s going to happen next to you, at your doorstep. This film is dedicated to all the minorities and the persecuted people of the world, whether they are Hindu, Christian, Buddhist, Dalits or anyone else. This is to tell people what happens when there is an absence of humanity or when we are indifferent to humanity.

Krishna Pandit If we haven't read about it, it's not part of our history. If we haven't seen it, it hasn't happened. So there was no real genocide in Kashmir. If anyone tries to tell the truth, you say, don't preach!'.

Quotes by Vivek Agnihotri Speaking on the question of why he chose not to go with the OTT platform and release it exclusively in theatres, Vivek said he was not willing to give up his Intellectual Property(IP) and strike comprises that deals with the OTT platforms normally entailed. He highlighted an incident on how he was bluntly asked by an OTT executive to remove the reference to ‘Islamic Terrorism’ from his movie. Vivek said he was taken aback when the executive openly asked him whether any specific adjective was used for terrorism which is talked about in the film. According to Vivek, the executive asserted, “We have a global policy that we do not use the term ‘Islamic Terrorism’ in any of our films. I hope you are not using that.”

Quotes by Vivek Agnihotri Calling out the genocide deniers', Vivek wrote, "I am not the first person to call it Genocide. But systematically books and literature like this were taken off libraries and a lie was created about ‘exodus’. This was indeed the GENOCIDE. Any GENOCIDE DENIER is either a part of terror business or naive. #RightToJustice" In another tweet, Vivek clapped back at former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah. Sharing a picture of a man, he wrote, "Whenever any Genocide Denier tries to divert by arguing on numbers of dead people, show him this report from 1989 and ask “how many numbers would you give Ramesh Kumar?" "Btw, @OmarAbdullah’s father and son of Shri Sheikh Abdullah was the chief minister at that time," he added.

Quotes by Vivek Agnihotri *quoted in

Quotes by Vivek Agnihotri The filmmaker recently shared a shocking video of a maulvi saying that The Kashmir Files should be banned. Sharing the video on his Twitter, Vivek also shared that this is how ‘Kashmiri Hindus were removed from the valley’. He tweeted in Hindi, “Maulvi Sahib of Rajouri says: “This film should be closed… Humne 800 saal tum pe hukumat ki you want to erase our mark in 70 years rule…” Friends, in the same way, the name and the existence of Kashmiri Hindus were erased from Kashmir.”

Quotes by Vivek Agnihotri Dear @Wikipedia, You forgot to add ‘Islamophobia… propaganda… sanghi… bigot… etc’. You are failing your Secular credentials. Hurry, edit more.

Quotes by Vivek Agnihotri *Interview, quoted in

Quotes by Vivek Agnihotri He wrote, “A lot of people are wondering if my Twitter account is suspended. No, it’s not. I have deactivated it. Here is why: Since I started the campaign of #TheKashmirFiles, Twitter shadowbanned me. My followers dropped drastically and most of my followers couldn’t see any of my tweets. On top of that, my DM was filled with vulgar and threatening messages (by you know who). It’s not that I can’t handle such elements, but it seemed there were many Pakistani & Chinese bots. However tough you may be, it’s mentally testing to be surrounded by such intense hate and threats for your family. For what? Making an honest film on the pain and sufferings of our Kashmiri brothers & sisters? Is that why they are rattled that the truth may come out? The ugly world of social media has given the power to a lot of evil elements. And our silence gives them hope to succeed. TheKashmirFiles breaks that silence. Loud and clear.”

Krishna Pandit This was their seventh exodus. And this wasn't an ordinary exodus. This time it was a genocide. And the story doesn't end here. They faced yet another genocide. And neither Araqi nor the Terrorists nor the State were responsible for it. But you and I were responsible for it. .... When we decided to remove them from our hearts and minds. And this was the real genocide.

Krishna Pandit This is the exact description in Shamsu'd-Din Muhammad Araqi's biography Tohfatul Ahbab.

Quotes by Vivek Agnihotri *quoted in

Krishna Pandit Do you know what this means? Raliv means Convert! Chaliv means leave! Galiv means Die! Convert! Leave! or Die !

Quotes by Vivek Agnihotri The filmmaker further added, “I have always spoken against India’s enemies. #The KashmirFiles is an attempt to expose inhuman terrorism that has destroyed India’s most sacred land of Shiva & Saraswati. And now religious terrorism is making inroads in mainland India. That’s why they want people to like me silenced. I always speak for those who can’t be heard. I have been exposing many untruths and fake narratives by anti-India Urban Naxals. They want to silence me. But I know very well that silence helps tragic events like Kashmir Genocide. They must know that I can’t be silenced. I thank all my followers and fans for your love and support. Love. Always.”

Krishna Pandit In this independent India, in this democratic India, in this secular India: they were once again ousted with swords and guns.

Interview in FirstPost When didn’t even know if we’ll be making a film, or documentary, or a series. There came a time when I thought if nothing will happen, I’ll release it on my social media platforms. We divided our research work, but during the process, we couldn’t help and cried our eyes out. Almost every victim told us that this is the first time someone is asking them about their sufferings. They don’t even discuss it in their family as they don’t want to let their kids know their stories. It’s a terrible feeling to hear all of it. There is a dialogue where someone asks – "Why didn’t they speak up?" and Mithun Chakraborty replies – "Toote hue log bolte nahi, unhe suna jaata hai" . That is my message.

Krishna Pandit *from ("Krishna'S Speech") Darshan Kumar as Krishna Pandit

Interview in FirstPost It doesn’t scare me but I am concerned. The media has to follow the rules else their careers will be destroyed. We suffer from a colonial mindset. They can kill me but cannot break me.

Interview in FirstPost Pallavi and I decided to do separate research. Whatever we know about Kashmir is through the politicians, but have no idea about the reality. We decided to interview more than 700 victims of the Kashmir Genocide from all across the world. We listened to and recorded their stories for two years. We had swollen eyes every time we heard a story. I was not crying because someone was killed. I was crying on myself. It was self-pity – I thought to myself how it is even possible that so many people were killed, women were raped, their breasts were cut, and no one talks about it. Pallavi and I decided to not get into politics, and tell a human story that was never heard.

Quotes by Vivek Agnihotri OpIndia spoke with Vivek Agnihotri regarding Intezar Hussain Sayed’s initial allegation that the film offended religious feelings. Agnihotri, in an interview with OpIndia, said he was determined to portray the genocide of Kashmiri Hindus on-screen through The Kashmir Files., “I can prove in any court or any platform of their choice that every frame, every word in my film is truth. Nothing but the truth.” On the news of a PIL being filed against the film, he had said, “They can create as many hurdles as they want but I can’t be silenced.”

Quotes by Vivek Agnihotri *as quoted in

Interview, Times of India But, let’s not get confused between the majority and minority because the majority in one place can be a minority in another place. 4000 people were killed, women were raped, why don’t female journalists and Me Too groups talk about it? So many Dalits were killed. Why do these politically activated Dalit groups don’t talk about it? You see the hypocrisy.

Interview, Times of India It doesn’t! I was making commercial films and was there in the entire Bollywood club. I was also a part of nepotism domination, and other dirty politics. I have seen the underbelly of Bollywood very well. There are two kinds of films you can make, one is a sweet story which people want to hear and the second one is a film that only you can tell. These are discomforting subjects which will make people uncomfortable. It wasn't an unprompted decision, I wanted to do it. It was a mature decision of my life. I knew there would be opposition, but what pains me is this is from the same Bollywood that talks about respecting independent filmmakers. Who can be more independent than me? Nobody! I love certain actors like Rajkummar Rao, Taapsee Pannu, but when they make a film and say it’s an independent one, it’s not! It’s supported and financed by big studios. They are doing the same thing and just naming it differently. While Bollywood media call them independent filmmakers, I am the only genuine independent filmmaker here in India. I do my research from all around the world, I put my money, and face struggles for the film distribution, so this is a journey of an isolated filmmaker. I do my own marketing. But Bollywood doesn’t recognise us and in fact, they boycott and isolate us. That’s painful.

Quotes by Vivek Agnihotri For instance, (the examining committee) had issues with the word ‘Islamic terrorist’. More than two dozen cuts were issued in all. However, I argued and showed them the documents and proof to support my point. Eventually, they allowed the film without these cuts. How can they dispute the facts after all?

Opening Credits *Quoted in opening credits of film.

Krishna Pandit His sole intention was to destroy to the temples and shrines of infidels. To put an end to their traditions and rituals.

Krishna Pandit They didn't just kill Kashmiri Pandits in the year 1990. They killed all moderate Muslims as well.