Vivek Agnihotri on The Kashmir Files not being India’s Oscar entry: I have moved onto another project

There was a lot of buzz around filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri’s The Kashmir Files standing a chance to represent India at the Oscars next year. And he is not focusing his energy on it at all.

On Tuesday, it was announced that the Film Federation of India (FFI) has unanimously picked Gujarati film Chhello Show, Last Film Show in English, as the country’s entry to the Oscars 2023 Best International Feature category.

When we reached out to Agnihotri, he sent in good wishes to the whole team of the Pan Nalin-directorial. “I wish them all the luck for the future run. I have nothing else to say,” he says.

Asked whether he is planning to take The Kashmir Files to the Oscars independently, the director shares, “Mujhe inn sab cheezun se farak nahi padta. When it comes to the film going to the Oscars independently, it is something which the makers have to decide”.

“Right now, I am doing another film, and I have moved on,” he adds.

The director also took to Twitter to express his views, and share a special message for the fans who were rooting for The Kashmir Files. “A big congratulations to the entire team of #LastFilmShow (Chhello Show) for being selected as India’s official entry. Wishing them the best film award at the #Oscars2023. I thank all the well-wishers and especially media which was rooting for #TheKashmirFiles (folded hands emojis),” he wrote.

The Kashmir Files depicts the story of the exodus of the Kashmiri Pandits from the Kashmir Valley. It stars Anupam Kher, Mithun Chakraborty, Darshan Kumaar, Pallavi Joshi, and Chinmay Mandlekar.