“The Kashmir Files is beyond agendas or propaganda”, says Yami Gautam

A couple of days prior, actress Yami Gautam Dhar had tweeted about how being hitched to a Kashmiri Pandit (filmmaker Aditya Dhar), she was made aware of the “atrocities that this peace-loving community has gone through”. Referring to the recently released The Kashmir Files by Vivek Agnihotri whose unprecedented success has taken the fraternity and box office by storm, Yami even urged everbody to watch and support the movie.

Talking to HT City, Yami says, “We are very happy how the film has been received. And it’s not just the success or numbers but it shows what people connect with or want to see or how they feel. It is something we have not seen before, so it has connected everybody and most importantly, people now feel liberated when they feel they have been heard and got a chance to express what they have been wanting to say for so many years.”

The actress, who was last seen in web film A Thursday, goes on, “We have read or heard about it (The Kashmir exodus) briefly, but we never knew the details of what exactly happened. When I met Aditya and his family, [they told me] all this has actually happened. And it is so painful. That’s the truth and it was long due to be told.”

In any case, she admits that she is yet to watch the film:  “I will watch it as soon as I can. I’m just busy shooting and working night shifts plus promoting a film (Dasvi). And The Kashmir Files is not a film which you can just squeeze in time for and go or watch after pack up. So I want to take my time… It’s not going anywhere from theatres. It’s not going to be an easy watch as you can see it from the reactions of everybody who has watched it.”

Yami uncovers that Aditya booked a ticket and arrived at the theater, too.  “But, he just couldn’t watch the film,” she says.

“He went alone, and tried but just couldn’t enter the hall. It was very overwhelming for him. He said it would be too traumatic to revisit all those memories. It would be too painful and emotional to muster the courage to watch and relive the past even if it’s [via] a film.”

“This is beyond filmmaking,” she continues, “Also, beyond a point you have to cancel a lot of things in your head. As long as you are a part of something which you believe in and you really like it, then you stick to it. When you know in your heart the intention [with which] something has been made [being tagged as a propaganda] it’s even more painful.”

Referring to trolls or the section of society raising questions on the intentions behind this movie, Yami further adds that they should talk to the victims: “If someone feels the other way, why don’t they speak to people who have spent years and years in those refugee camps? So many of them are still there and it has become a home for them. I think they would be able to answer these people [asking questions] better.”

“I would love to go with the majority sentiment, with my truth, with what I have heard, and who I trust. And so many people cannot lie. Emotional pain [shown in The Kashmir Files] is beyond all these debates and agendas,” Yami concludes.