'The Kashmir Files' has won the Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration, the jury of the 69th National Film Awards announced Thursday afternoon, handing Vivek Agnihotri's controversial movie an accolade that will trigger furious debate.
'The Kashmir Files', written and directed by Mr Agnihotri and released in March last year, is based on Kashmiri Pandits' exodus from the Valley at the height of militancy in the 1990s.
It stars Mithun Chakraborty, Anupam Kher and Pallavi Joshi, who won Best Supporting Actress for her efforts, in lead roles and generated more controversy after screening at the International Film Festival of India in November, when Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid slammed it as "vulgar propaganda".
Mr Lapid served as the jury head for the IFFI and declared the movie to be an 'inappropriate (addition) to a artistic competitive section of such a prestigious film festival". His comments led to furious pushback from the filmmakers behind 'The Kashmir Files' and even the Israeli envoy to India.
READ | 'The Kashmir Files' Has "Fascist Features": Israeli Filmmaker Doubles Down
Slammed for allegedly fanning communal sentiments, 'The Kashmir Files' was a commercial success that was praised by senior Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
READ | "Watch 'The Kashmir Files' To Learn How...": Amit Shah's Claim
The movie was also given given tax exemptions by BJP-ruled states.
The movie was also heavily criticised by social activists and the opposition for factual inaccuracies and attempting to further drive a wedge between Hindu and Muslim communities across the country.
READ | 'The Kashmir Files' Depicts True History Of Valley: Nitin Gadkari
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor flagged the fact 'The Kashmir Files' was banned in Singapore for "potential to cause enmity between different communities, and disrupt religious harmony..."
The filmmaker and the actors have refuted all criticism, claiming they had "highlighted the plight of a group of people". "This film is not doing propaganda. Some people have been spreading false narrative about this film," Mr Agnihotri said as he claimed a conspiracy against him and his film.
With input from agencies
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