Release: Theatres / Rating: 3 / 5
Many filmmakers usually take a safer, sometimes indecisive route to depict unfortunate real-life incidents. However, director Vivek Agnihotri goes straight for the impact in The Kashmir Files, which revolves around the exodus of Kashmiri Hindus from the valley in the early 1990s because of a rise in the Islamic militancy, and the effect that it has created on the group ever since. Right from the first scene, Agnihotri depicts the injustice that prevailed in the region, and from thereon showcases a series of graphic, gruesome moments that are bound to make you uneasy in the chair.
Weaving several real-life incidents together, the director narrates the story from the lens of Pushkar Nath Pandit (played by Anupam Kher), who himself is a victim of the exodus, and strives hard to get justice and stability not only for himself, but for his remaining grieving family, and for the community as a whole too. Through the incident, Agnihotri touches upon several other pivotal points such as the role of the media and the government at the time, the politics in the region, impact on the daily needs of an individual including food and medicine, changing face of the near and dear ones, the aftermath, and the perception of the tragedy in today’s time.
Full marks to Agnihotri and his team for the extensive research. However, while in the first half one is able to connect with the human story of Pushkar Nath Pandit, in the second half it loses that connection because of the filmmaker’s attempt to highlight so many angles at once. Moreso, while one sees an attempt to create a balance on point of views in the narrative, it mostly comes across only by the end and seems largely missing in most parts of the story.
Some might even describe a few of the scenes as ‘too graphic’, but it does enable the director to convey his message of ‘Right To Justice’, especially because of the ordeal that the community has experienced. The film has been shot in Kashmir and staying true to the location helps add a lot more authenticity and feel to the narrative. The flow of the film is edited well, while the dialogues stay true to the region and subtitles come in handy at times when you struggle to understand the language.
As for the performances, Anupam Kher shines through the film. His performance is impactful, yet controlled. Four other characters who play an important role in Pushkar Nath Pandit’s and then of his grandson Krishna’s (played by Darshan Kumar) journey are played by Mithun Chakraborty, Puneet Issar, Prakash Belawadi and Atul Srivastava. While all four live up to their parts, Chakraborty’s performance in one confrontational sequence with Krishna is a memorable one.
Kumar plays his part well, but it is the climax scene where his performance truly comes through. Pallavi Joshi is phenomenal as Radhika, however I wish a little more background of the character was shown (except one scene in a photograph) that explains her actions. Other supporting cast also live up to their parts.
Yes, Vivek Agnihotri’s The Kashmir Files largely lacks another point of view, but it does manage to convey the plight of the Kashmiri Hindus and the sorrow that they still experience.