The Kashmir Files: First of Its Kind Movie Highlighting Kashmiri Hindu Persecution Releases Today
After centuries of persecution and neglect of their plight, Kashmiri Hindu voices finally find a place in mainstream Indian cinema. The Kashmir Files is to be released in theatres on March 11th sending a strong message to the world showcasing the historic and ongoing persecution of the Indigenous Kashmiri Hindu community in their own homeland.
The film shares about the lived experiences of Kashmiri Pandits (Hindus) who were driven out of their homes, forcefully converted into non-Hindu religions and persecuted in broad daylight. The persecution of Kashmiri Hindus goes back centuries with over seven major genocides recorded on them just within the past 1000 years alone. These 7 major persecutions affected millions of Hindu lives which have left them homeless, unable to go back to their homes after fleeing after each consecutive persecution event due to fear of violence and trauma.
Kashmiri Hindus are the original inhabitants of the Kashmir region with their history spanning thousands of years. The word Kashmir comes from the name of the great Hindu Rishi Kashyap. Kashmir is also the home of Kashmiri Shaivism, which was a powerful Hindu sampradaya which flourished and centered authentic Shaivite traditions in all aspects of life. Kashmir was a hub of Shaivism with powerful Hindu ecosystems that provided enlightenment to countless beings. This incredible Kashmiri Hindu civilization was systematically destroyed by a series of barbaric invasions and settler-colonialism for over 1000 years while the global Hindu community remained negligent and silent.
The Kashmir Files is a powerful attempt to bring awareness in the global psyche about the untold and hidden genocides on the Kashmiri Hindus. Millions of Kashmiri Hindus have been displaced from their homeland, forced to evacuate their homes overnight as anti-Hindu extremists shouted genocidal slogans on loudspeakers threatening to eliminate Kashmiri Hindus if they did not leave their homes immediately. Hundreds of thousands of Kashmiri Hindus have been killed for wanting to stay in their native lands, Hindu women and children sexually assaulted and tortured for refusing to convert to non-Hindu religions, and millions left their homes to find safety elsewhere around the world.
Kashmiri Hindus have been begging for help yet the global Hindu community is silent. Kashmiri Hindus have inter-generational and many are unable to openly talk about their persecution stories. It is the responsibility of every Hindu and humanity to talk about the injustices inflicted upon the Indigenous Hindu populations and make the world aware so that similar atrocities never go unchecked.
The film director Vivek Agnihotri has worked tirelessly for over four years in making this film into a reality. He has faced enormous challenges and hateful controversies from anti-Hindu elements attempting to stop the production and release of the film. Many court cases have also been filed against the release of the film but even the courts have rejected all such appeals and are allowing the movie to be released.
If you are a Hindu, it is a must-watch film to learn about the plight of Kashmiri Hindus and spread awareness in the global community through the cinema industry. It is the responsibility of every Hindu to support such films and support artists who are working tirelessly to bring the truth of Hindu history and Hindu persecution against all odds.
