‘The Kashmir Files killed Bollywood’: Ram Gopal Varma heaps praises on Vivek Agnihotri’s film

New Delhi: "The Kashmir Files" has been one of the biggest post pandemic Bollywood successes earning both popular and critical acclaim as well doing an over Rs 200 crore business surpassing expectations. At present it is "the topic".

After being commended by Kangana Ranaut, Akshay Kumar among others, now another industry veteran director Ram Gopal Varma has said TKF has set a new benchmark for film making in India.

Heaping praises on the film he said “For the first time in my entire career, I am reviewing a film. I don't really review the film's subject or the controversial content, I want to review it as a filmmaker on how the film has been made. Kashmir Files released and broke every rule in the book. It doesn't have stars. There is no intention in the director to impress the audience which is what every filmmaker will be trying to do. He wants to impress.”

A master storyteller himself, RGV concluded: “I hate Kashmir Files because it destroyed whatever I learned, whatever I thought was right and whatever I thought was in at multiple times. "I can't go back and I can't reinvent myself and can't rethink now, 'Oh, this is how it should be made'. No, can't. So I hate Kashmir Files whether it is the director or acting style or it is the way the screenplay was made…I hate all of them because you guys made me and all of the filmmakers I would say lose our identity…I hate all the people associated with Kashmir Files but I love Vivek Agnihotri for making this happen.”

His review was met with gratitude by the National Award winning filmmaker, Agnihotri, who tweeted “You hate #TheKashmirFiles @RGVzoomin and that's why I love you.”

On Tuesday, RGV tweeted again: "On March 11th 2022, DADASAHEB PHALKE's old BOLLYWOOD was brutally killed by #kashmirifiles in order to give birth to a new VIVEK AGNIHOTRI's BOLLYWOOD ..In years to come all film people will be dying to get honoured with VIVEK AGNIHOTRI AWARD” .

Prior to this he also said "Top 7 production houses of Bollywood will cease to be at the top and will lose their control on the film industry because #kashmirifiles proved that anyone from anywhere can come to sit on top which is ultimate democratisation of cinema.”

The acclaimed director who is known for his avant garde style and use of realism is best known for films like "Satya", " D-Company", "Shool", "Rakta Charitra", “The Attacks of 26/11”, has said that the film has decoded the style of Bollywood and unravelled it, basically killing the standard Bollywood film making formula, implying that post the movie's release and immense success, the formula may no longer stick as effectively.

Based on the Kashmiri Hindu genocide in the Kashmir Valley in 1990s by Pakistan-backed seperatist Islamic terrorists, the movie has received extensive support from BJP and has gone tax-free in various states such as Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Gujarat, Karantaka, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Bihar and Himachal Pradesh. (UNI)