Kolkata: 'The Kashmir Files' makes Vivek Agnihotri and Abhishek Agarwal along with actress Pallavi Joshi have sent a legal notice to West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee for her recent statements. Sharing the legal notice on Twitter, Vivek Agnihotri alleged that Banerjee's "false and highly defamatory statements" were made with an alleged malafide intention" to defame their film and the upcoming 'The Delhi Files'.
Addressing a press conference at state secretariat Nabanna yesterday, Banerjee had claimed that there was an attempt to humiliate a section of the society through films like 'The Kashmir Files' while the recently released 'The Kerala Story' is based on distorted facts. "A few stars funded by the BJP had come to West Bengal few days back and they are preparing Bengal Files with some distorted facts," Banerjee had said.
Released in 2022, 'The Kashmir Files' tells the story of the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits in the 90s. Makers of the film have asked Banerjee to tender an unconditional apology saying she has to either apologise or prove her statement.
Abhishek Agarwal, producer of 'The Kashmir Files', told an all-India news agency, "We have been silent for a long time. Earlier, many chief ministers, journalists and politicians were calling 'The Kashmir Files' a propaganda. Now we feel, enough is enough. Those who are calling 'The Kashmir Files' propaganda, prove that any dialogue or any scene or any frame is false. If not, I along with Vivek Agnihotri and Pallavi Joshi on behalf of the producers of the film have decided to take legal action".
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"Yesterday, Bengal chief minister made false allegations on 'The Kashmir Files' and my next movie which is being made on genocide in Bengal. She says BJP sponsors and funds me to make such films. I think this is an insulting and baseless statement." Agarwal said. Also, he alleged that Banerjee's statement is aimed at pleasing the vote bank.
Responding to this, state vice-president of Trinamool Congress, Jay Prakash Majumdar said, "The chief minister has said that these movies are being made for political propaganda. BJP is backing these movies from behind. The makers of this movie went to court and said it was fiction. But, outside court, they are saying that it is the truth."
BJP spokesperson Shamik Bhattacharya said that Banerjee should think about all communities. She should apologise for this, Bhattacharya said.
