No question of ban, only its classification is being reviewed: Chief censor of NZ on release of ‘The Kashmir Files’

As ‘The Kashmir Files’ was under review, its release in New Zealand has been postponed

March 21, 2022

Chief censor reviewing classification of ‘The Kashmir Files’ after concerns from Muslim community

Amid reports that the chief censor of New Zealand was reviewing the movie ‘The Kashmir Files’ again after the Muslim community in the country demanded a ban on the film, the chief censor David Shanks had said that there is no question of banning the movie, and only its classification is being reviewed.

Clearing the path for the movie release in New Zealand, the film is set to be screened said the Twitter handle of the Indian High Commission to New Zealand said, “Here is a Press Note, dispelling disinformation surrounding the release of ‘The Kashmiri Files’ by Vivek Agnihotri in NZ. Kiwi cine-goers look forward to watching the movie in the spirit of freedom of expression & warm India-New Zeland ties.

Here is a Press Note, dispelling disinformation surrounding the release of #TheKashmiriFiles by @vivekagnihotri in NZ. Kiwi cine-goers look forward to watching the movie in the spirit of freedom of expression & warm #IndiaNewZeland ties.@MukteshPardeshi @MEAIndia @ZeeStudios_ pic.twitter.com/86Ne9kTJZG

— India in New Zealand (@IndiainNZ) March 21, 2022

Earlier, the Director of the film, Vivek Agnihotri had put forth the facts that there were ‘communal groups’ who were trying to put pressure on the New Zealand censors to ban the film in the country. The filmmaker urged his Twitter followers and ‘all Indians’ to come together with ‘utmost humility and ‘oppose the undemocratic tactic by radicals’.

Agnihotri had tweeted,” IMPORTANT & URGENT: Some communal groups are trying to put pressure on New Zealand Censor to ban The Kashmir Files. I request all Indians to be united and oppose this undemocratic tactic by radicals with utmost humility and release this film about HUMANITY and HUMAN RIGHTS.

IMPORTANT & URGENT:
Some communal groups are trying to put pressure on New Zealand Censor to ban #TheKashmirFiles. I request all Indians to be united and oppose this undemocratic tactic by radicals with utmost humility and release this film about HUMANITY and HUMAN RIGHTS. #FOE pic.twitter.com/bXX1TxoXYN

— Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) March 18, 2022

New Zealand’s chief censor David Shanks had said that the members of the Muslim community had approached him with concerns that the film “could raise anti-Muslim sentiment and potential hatred”. Shanks had said the concerns raised by the Muslims were “valid and serious”, so it was important to “take stock and pause”.

As ‘The Kashmir Files’ was under review, its release in New Zealand has been postponed.

New Zealand’s former deputy prime minister Winston Peters had also come out in support of the release of ‘The Kashmir Files’ in New Zealand saying that if the movie, which has been released in America, Australia, and many other countries around the world, is not released in New Zealand, it will be an attack on the freedom of New Zealanders.

The former PM said on his Facebook page, “To censor this film is tantamount to censoring information or images from the March 15th atrocities in New Zealand, or for that matter removing from public knowledge all images of the attack on 9/11. Mainstream Muslims have both in this country and around the world readily and rightly denounced all forms of terrorism on the basis that committing violence in the name of Islam is not Muslim. Neither should step taken against Islamophobia mistakenly lead to the shielding of terrorists in the name of Islam.”

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