Made in Rs 20 crore, this film earned Rs 340 crore, won two National Film Awards, led to multiple controversies

From Ayushmann Khurrana and Tabu-starrer black comedy crime thriller Andhadhun to Vidya Balan-led suspense thriller Kahaani, there have been many low-budget Bollywood films that have smashed the box office and earned hundreds of crores. Another addition to the list is the 2022 blockbuster The Kashmir Files.

Directed by Vivek Agnihotri, the hard-hitting drama is based on the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the valley in the 1990s. The Kashmir Files starred Anupam Kher, Darshan Kumaar, Pallavi Joshi, Mithun Chakraborty, Chinmay Mandlekar, Bhasha Sumbli, Prakash Belawadi, and Puneet Issar in prominent roles.

Made in just Rs 20 crore, the Vivek Agnihotri directorial started slowly at the box office when it released in March two years back. It gradually gained momentum and went on to become a blockbuster, earning Rs 252 crore net in India and Rs 340 crore gross worldwide (as per the entertainment tracking portal Sacnilk). The film also became the third-highest grossing Hindi film of 2022 behind Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Amitabh Bachchan-starrer Brahmastra Part 1 - Shiva and Ajay Devgn and Akshaye Khanna-starrer Drishyam 2.

The Kashmir Files led to multiple controversies throughout 2022. Before its release, Vivek Agnihotri alleged that Kapil Sharma refused to invite the film's team on his comedy talk show The Kapil Sharma Show since the movie had no big star in its cast. Kapil later clarified tweeted that his claim is entirely false and asked people to not believe in a one-sided story. 

Upon its release, several people said that the film was a piece of propaganda and it promoted Islamophobia. While some questioned its historical accuracy, others questioned the ruling party BJP's move to make the film tax-free in several states and even providing official vacations to government employees to go and watch the film.

Months after its release, The Kashmir Files found itself in controversy again when the Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid, who headed the jury at the 53rd International Film Festival of India 2022, said that the Vivek Agnihotri directorial was a "vulgar movie, inappropriate for the artistic competitive section of such a prestigious film festival." His views were slammed by the film's cast and crew.

After causing multiple controversies, the film went on to win two National Films Awards - Best Feature Film on National Integration and Best Supporting Actress to Pallavi Joshi, who is Agnihotri's wife as well. After the announcement, critics even mocked the decision to give The Kashmir Files award for national integration. The film is now streaming on ZEE5.

READ | This blockbuster earned 45 times its budget, sequel to release in 2025; it's not Jawan, Animal, RRR, KGF, Kantara

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