Vivek Agnihotri, a filmmaker, recently took a shot at Akshay Kumar, claiming that the actor enjoyed his film The Kashmir Files because he was’majboori (helpless)’. Vivek was told in a new interview that several Bollywood stars, including Akshay Kumar, praised the film. Many people asked Vivek about The Kashmir Files, so he felt compelled to praise it. Both Vivek and Akshay Kumar attended a function in Bhopal, where Akshay expressed his admiration for The Kashmir Files while also admitting that it contributed to the failure of his film Bachchhan Paandey.

Vivek had previously shared a video of Akshay saying, “Hum sabko desh ki kahaniyan kehni hai, Kuch jaani maani, kuch ankahi, ansuni,” on Twitter. Kashmir Files bana kar ek bahut bade dardnaak sach ko saamne rakha hai, jaise Vivek ji ne. Ek aisi wave ban kar aayi jisne hum sabko jhinjhor kar diya hai. Wo aur baat haiki, meri photograph ko duba diya hai. (We all want to tell stories about our country.) Some are well-known, while others are not. For example, Vivek produced The Kashmir Files, which exposed a painful truth and left us all shaken. That it contributed to the failure of my film is a different matter).” “Thanks,” Vivek had written after sharing the video.

It was mentioned in a recent conversation with VJ Raunac that Akshay liked the movie. Vivek replied, “Woh toh majboori mein ab kya bolega aadmi jab 100 log saamne khade hoke sawaal puchenge Kashmir Files. ‘Apki film nahi chali aur woh chal gayi,’ kya bolsakte hai? When 100 people came to him asking about The Kashmir Files, he had to say, “Woh toh main ek function mein tha Bhopal mein usme bolna padh gaya.” What can he say when asked why his film didn’t do well while that one did? I was also in Bhopal for a function where I had to praise the film).”

When asked if he received any thank-you messages, Vivek replied, “Public nahi bolta peeche koi… Mujhe message nahi kiya ek aadmi… Unse Kashmir Files ke baare mein puch lete hai sablog apni film promote karne jaate hai. Unhe majboori mein bolna padhta hai. Apne mann se kisine kuch nahi bola (No one personally appreciates… No one sent me a message. The media would inquire about The Kashmir Files as everyone was promoting their films. They felt compelled to say something. But no one spoke out of their own volition).”