Vivek Agnihotri’s controversial movie ‘The Kashmir Files’ set to hit theatres

News Desk: Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri’s much-awaited movie ‘The Kashmir Files’ is set to hit theatres this Friday, i.e on March 11. While the Censor Board of India passed the movie with an ‘A’ certificate and 7 minor cuts, Vivek Agnihotri recently revealed how the Board wanted him to drop the words “Islamic Terrorist” from the movie but he stood his ground and vigorously defended their usage.

In an interview with Bollywood Hungama, Vivek said that the examining committee of the CBFC had a laundry list of cuts that he had to fight out. Prominent among them was their insistence to get the “Islamic Terrorist” reference removed from the movie. The members, Vivek said, had issues with the use of the words “Islamic Terrorist” and had asked him to remove it from the movie. He further added that more than two dozen cuts were recommended by the CBFC committee members.

However, Vivek refused to budge and provided the CBFC members with proof and documents to back his point. It was only after he furnished the evidence that the CBFC members relented and allowed the film without the aforementioned cuts.

“How can they dispute the facts?” questioned Vivek while adding that it took around two months to complete the entire process of convincing the CBFC members.

Nevertheless, the movie still had to undergo seven minor cuts in order to be passed by the Censor Board. One of the changes suggested by CBFC members was to change the name of the University from JNU to something else. Vivek was initially against this change but he later realised that changing the name of the university won’t dilute the essence of the movie. Therefore, the university‘s name was changed from JNU to ANU.