New Delhi: After kicking up a raging controversy over 'The Kashmir Files" at IFFI, Israeli director Nadav Lapid said he knew how to "recognise a piece of propaganda masquerading as a film"
His latest comments follow a more severe criticism he made at the 53rd International Film Festival of India (IFFI) where he called 'The Kashmir Files' a 'vulgar' piece of propaganda.
Nadav Lapid has since been facing a barrage of criticism on social media, which however has not stopped the filmmaker from speaking his mind.
Later talking to CNN-News18, Lapid apologised for "inadvertently offending the sentiments of any community", adding that he "didn't want to insult anyone, or their relatives, who have suffered," according to The Indian Express.
Now the filmmaker told Haaretz he "discovered" that 'The Kashmir Files' was included in the festival from "political pressure', hence he felt it was his 'duty' to criticise the movie.
"We learned that the film was pushed into the official competition of the festival, which is the largest in India, due to political pressure. So I feel that precisely as a foreigner who goes there, you have an obligation to say the things that the people who live there may have a harder time saying," he reportedly said.
Lapid previously claimed that fellow jury members agreed to his stance on the film; however, filmmaker Sudipto Sen reportedly said Lapid acted on his own.
Speaking to Haaretz, Lapid mentioned he received hundreds of "messages and emails from film people" in support of his stance.
In the thick of the controversy, The Kashmir Files director Vivek Agnihotri tweeted on Thursday morning, saying "People do and say things to hurt you because they are unhappy that you have got what they desired."