No, Nadav Lapid Did Not Apologise For His Remarks On The Kashmir Files; Leading Media Houses Circulate False Quotes

We found that media houses reported false news regarding comments made by Nadav Lapid on ‘The Kashmir Files’ and said that he called it a brilliant film. The Israeli filmmaker maintained that he never apologised for his comments, nor did he call the film ‘brilliant".

  • Whatsapp
  • Telegram
  • Linkedin
  • Print
  • koo
  • Whatsapp
  • Telegram
  • Linkedin
  • Print
  • koo
  • Whatsapp
  • Telegram
  • Linkedin
  • Print
  • koo

Following the intense debate that erupted over The Kashmir Files after the comments by Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid on the Vivek Agnihotri-directed film, a claim is being widely circulated by news media outlets. Media outlets have claimed that Lapid later apologized for his remarks and referred to the film as 'brilliant.'

On November 28, 2022, the controversy erupted after Lapid's remarks at the closing ceremony of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Goa. The Israeli filmmaker described The Kashmir Files as a "vulgar, propaganda movie, " which shocked the entire jury. Following Lapid's remarks, he was interviewed by media houses such as The Wire, CNN-News18 and India Today.

Claim:

Following the interviews, reports appeared on social media claiming that Lapid apologized for his comments and called 'The Kashmir Files' a 'brilliant film'. A report by Hindustan Times published on November 30, 2022, carried the title, 'Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid now calls The Kashmir Files 'brilliant movie'.

Image Credit: Hindustan Times

The Times of India, HT Entertainment, DNA India, India Today, and RVCJ media also circulated this claim of Lapid referring to the film as 'brilliant.'

Image Credit: Times of India


Image Credit: DNA


Actor Anupam Kher, who played a leading role in the film based on the exodus of the Kashmir Pandits in the 1990s, shared the report by Hindustan Times on Twitter, saying, "Ultimately, Truth always triumphs! And people sometimes come to their senses."

The filmmaker and director of the film, Vivek Agnihotri quote tweeted a tweet by Zoom TV claiming that Lapid had apologized for his remarks. Agnihotri said in reply, "Most honest man of the world."

Fact Check:

We went through the report by Hindustan Times uploaded on November 30, 2022. The report doesn't mention Lapid explicitly apologizing for his remarks on the Kashmir Files. The report quotes Lapid talking about propaganda, saying, "no one can determine what propaganda is, I accept this fact, it's a brilliant movie. What I have done, it's my duty to say what I see. it's a very subjective way."

Image Credit: Hindustan Times

We then went through reports by NDTV and News18 on Lapid's comments. Both pieces wrote that the Israeli filmmaker apologised if his comments would have insulted or caused hurt to the people who suffered through the events depicted in Kashmir Files.

Image Credit: NDTV


Image Credit: News18

We then conducted a keyword search for the India Today interview with Lapid, which was quoted by Hindustan Times as a basis for their report. From the 6-minute mark in the interview, Lapid says, "I totally respect and accept the fact that there are many people who love this movie, there are people who think that it is a brilliant movie. As well as, I respect the fact that there are people who think terrible things about my movies."

He continues, "However, this year, I was invited to Goa as the president of the jury because of my achievements as a filmmaker. In order to express my opinion, my view and the view of the jury about the movies. So, exactly as much as the people who love the movie. Of course, with full right, it goes without saying to claim that it's a brilliant, unbelievable movie, but I have the right to claim the opposite.."

In the interview, Lapid defended his comments about the film, saying, "What I did is my duty toward the festival that invited me. The festival invited me in order to express my opinion about the movies. And to say the truth as I see it, of course its subjective."

We also came across an interview from Lapid to The Wire, published on December 1, 2022. In the video, interviewer Karan Thapar brings up the interviews where Lapid supposedly apologized for his comments on the film. At the 11.30 mark, Lapid says, "I read somewhere that I claimed that the movie is brilliant. I mean I should be totally crazy and schizophrenic in order to say that. I mean I believe completely and I stand completely behind my statement."

Conclusion:

We found that leading media houses circulated misleading news reports regarding comments made by Nadav Lapid on 'The Kashmir Files'. The Israeli filmmaker maintained that he never apologized for his remarks, nor did he call the film 'brilliant,' as per footage from the interviews. Thus, we found that Lapid has not changed his stance since the closing ceremony of IFFI Goa. Hence, the viral claim is false.

If you have any news that you believe needs to be fact-checked, please email us at factcheck@thelogicalindian.com or WhatsApp at 6364000343.

Also Read: No, This Viral Video Does Not Show Women Fighting Over Boyfriend In Bihar; Viral Video Is From Punjab

Contributors Suggest Correction
Editor : Bharat Nayak
,
Creatives : Jakir Hassan

Must Reads