Movie Review: The Kashmir Files

Rating: 4 of 5

Star Cast: Anupam Kher, Bhasha Sumbli, Darshan Kumaar, Chinmay Mandlekar, Mithun Chakraborty, Prakash Belawadi, Puneet Issar, Atul Srivastava and Mrinal Kulkarni

Director: Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri

Led by Anupam Kher, The Kashmir Files has applause-worthy performances of every single actor, who stars in it. The Vivek Agnihotri directorial, The Kashmir Files is based on the real-life exodus and genocide of Kashmir Pandits that took place 32 years back. The plot revolves around a JNU student Darshan Kumaar, who remembers nothing about his childhood.

Many filmmakers have tried to tell us the story of the Kashmiri Pandits exodus, but none of them have been as accurate and close as Vivek Agnihotri. The 2-hr-50-min long film opens with kids playing in the freezing cold of Jan 1990. 

Anupam Kher delivers a scintillating performance as Pushker Nath Pandit, who makes it more realistic with his Kashmiri tone. I still can’t get over the scene when he comes to know about his grandson Krishna standing in presidential elections and chanting ‘Azaadi’. He sings a Kashmiri song and tells Krishna that he’s freezing.

Apart from the lead star cast, National Award Winner Pallavi Joshi is one such actor who will leave you spellbound with her performance. Joshi has successfully served justice to her character.

Darshan Kumaar takes your heart with his performance when he learns about the real reason behind his parents’ death. In the climax scene, the actor takes the film on his shoulders but gets lost a little bit during his monologue.

Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri has managed to do what others couldn’t do in past 32 years. His loud and clear vision got him praises from but only Kashmiris but also from those who felt the pain. After showing the truth in the 2019 release, The Tashkent Files, Vivek now asks for justice with The Kashmir Files.

Keeping the real essence Vivek has managed to make our hearts shrink with lovely Kashmiri songs that made me cry aloud in the theatre. Be it Anupam Kher crooning the snow song or the Cholhama Roshey in the saddest version, it is sure to make your eyes moist.