New Zealand reviews 'The Kashmir Files'

Vivek Agnihotri's "The Kashmir Files" has courted a controversy in New Zealand with the country's chief censor reviewing the film's classification, a move that has been criticised by a former deputy prime minister.

Written and directed by Vivek Agnihotri, "The Kashmir Files" depicts the exodus of Kashmiri Hindus from the Kashmir Valley in the 1990s. New Zealand outlet Stuff on Saturday reported that the country's chief censor David Shanks is reviewing the film's R16 classification after concerns were raised by the Muslim community ahead of the movie's release on March 24.

According to New Zealand's Classification Office, a R16 certificate mandates that a film cannot be viewed by children below 16 without adult supervision. Shanks told the outlet that the classification office's action does not mean the film is being banned in the country. He added that the members of the Muslim community had approached him with concerns the film "could raise anti-Muslim sentiment and potential hatred". Shanks revealed that the situation was "complex" as the concerns of the community pertained to "behaviours on and offline in relation to the film, rather than the content of the film itself". The concerns raised were valid and serious, so it was important to "take stock and pause", he added.

Vivek Agnihotri is upset with the free screening of The Kashmir Files by a local BJP politician in Rewari. Sharing the poster of the free screening on Twitter, Agnihotri wrote, "WARNING: Showing #TheKashmirFiles like this in open and free is a CRIMINAL OFFENCE. Dear @mlkhattar ji, I'd request you to stop this. Political leaders must respect creative business and true Nationalism and Social service means buying tickets in a legal and peaceful manner (sic)."

Three Hindu youths were gravely injured in a knife attack while they were exiting the cinema hall after watching the movie, 'The Kashmir Files'. The incident took place in Fazilnagar in Kushinagar district. After the screening of the movie was over, the three raised nationalist slogans while exiting the cinema halls. Irked by the sloganeering, some local Muslim men first argued with the Hindu youths and when the arguments turned heated, they attacked the Hindu youths with knives and inflicted severe injuries.