Capacity Audience for Private Screening of the Movie ‘Kashmir Files’

A Tale of Brutal Killings, Ethnic Cleansing

By Jawahar Malhotra

HOUSTON: Watching The Kashmir Files left me speechless. The magnitude of the violence was something I was completely unaware of until watching this film. I’m still in shock, unable to process what I saw.

Before seeing the Kashmir Files, I knew a little bit about the exodus of the Kashmiri Pandits, but just ten minutes in, I was made acutely aware of how little I knew. Scene after scene, I felt horrified, heartbroken, and after a while, I felt ashamed. I felt ashamed that this was the first time I was hearing of these stories, the first time I was faced with the horrifying truth of what happened thirty years ago. How is it possible that this genocide is largely unheard of? It’s truly shameful that the story of the brutality against Kashmiri Pandits has been muffled for so long, and it is high time that it be told.

But this is a story that needs to be told in the right way, which I feel The Kashmir Files accomplished. This film, founded on the true stories of over 700 Kashmiris from all over the world, brought to light facts with exceptional storytelling. Director Vivek Agnihotri crafted an informational yet emotionally invigorating film, which is guaranteed to strike a chord with every viewer. Portraying a young person struggling with vastly different information is a situation I am all too familiar with as a next generation Indian American. The Radhika Menon’s are my friends. Growing up here, the narrative about Kashmir is that the Kashmiri Pandits were pushed out, which made Krishna Pandit an ideal character for those of us who have never heard this story. As someone who did not know much before the film, I journeyed along with Krishna as he discovered the truth behind why Kashmiri Pandits left Kashmir. Following along Krishna’s journey through an information war to the truth was a relatable and highly effective way to not only tell but show the truth. Including his grandfather and his friends, showing how even those in positions of power could do nothing, gave the film incredible emotional depth, allowing the viewer to feel the anger, despair, and fear.

The Kashmir Files is a must-watch film for my generation. My entire family and I had the opportunity to view the film a few days ago at a sold-out prescreening event in Houston, Texas, which is no small feat during COVID times. This film is important not only for Indians, but for everyone to witness the horrific reality that has taken far too long to come to light. Kashmiri Pandits deserve for the world to know their story, especially in a world that has been shown a false reality for far too long. Please take the time to view the Kashmir Files, which is releasing on January 26, 2022.

By Apurva Ghosh, in collaboration with Amiya Ghosh

Watching The Kashmir Files left me speechless. The magnitude of the violence was something I was completely unaware of until watching this film. I’m still in shock, unable to process what I saw.

Before seeing the Kashmir Files, I knew a little bit about the exodus of the Kashmiri Pandits, but just ten minutes in, I was made acutely aware of how little I knew. Scene after scene, I felt horrified, heartbroken, and after a while, I felt ashamed. I felt ashamed that this was the first time I was hearing of these stories, the first time I was faced with the horrifying truth of what happened thirty years ago. How is it possible that this genocide is largely unheard of? It’s truly shameful that the story of the brutality against Kashmiri Pandits has been muffled for so long, and it is high time that it be told.

But this is a story that needs to be told in the right way, which I feel The Kashmir Files accomplished. This film, founded on the true stories of over 700 Kashmiris from all over the world, brought to light facts with exceptional storytelling. Director Vivek Agnihotri crafted an informational yet emotionally invigorating film, which is guaranteed to strike a chord with every viewer. Portraying a young person struggling with vastly different information is a situation I am all too familiar with as a next generation Indian American. The Radhika Menon’s are my friends. Growing up here, the narrative about Kashmir is that the Kashmiri Pandits were pushed out, which made Krishna Pandit an ideal character for those of us who have never heard this story. As someone who did not know much before the film, I journeyed along with Krishna as he discovered the truth behind why Kashmiri Pandits left Kashmir. Following along Krishna’s journey through an information war to the truth was a relatable and highly effective way to not only tell but show the truth. Including his grandfather and his friends, showing how even those in positions of power could do nothing, gave the film incredible emotional depth, allowing the viewer to feel the anger, despair, and fear.

The Kashmir Files is a must-watch film for my generation. My entire family and I had the opportunity to view the film a few days ago at a sold-out prescreening event in Houston, Texas, which is no small feat during COVID times. This film is important not only for Indians, but for everyone to witness the horrific reality that has taken far too long to come to light. Kashmiri Pandits deserve for the world to know their story, especially in a world that has been shown a false reality for far too long. Please take the time to view the Kashmir Files, which is releasing on January 26, 2022.