Vivek Agnihotri, others send legal notice to Mamata Banerjee for comments on 'The Kashmir Files'

Agnihotri said he had sent the legal notice along with his actor-wife Pallavi Joshi and producer Abhishek Agarwal

Filmmaker Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri – also the director of the film, The Kashmir Files – on Tuesday shared that he (along with two others) has sent a legal notice to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Agnihotri – in a tweet said – that he, with Pallavi Joshi (actor), and Abhishek Agarwal (producer), have sent a legal notice to Banerjee for her alleged “false” and “highly defamatory statements” to “defame” them, and their films The Kashmir Files, and the upcoming film, The Delhi Files.

The four-page “legal notice” by an advocate, shared by Agnihotri on his Twitter handle states that The Kashmir Files is an outcome of “extensive ground work and research”, and the clients had “spent time and money” on the project.

Read | 'The Kerala Story' makers to take legal route against Bengal ban as BJP leaders praise film

Raising several other concerns, the notice says that Banerjee in her media address, on May 8, stated the “movie being made by my clients is funded by Bharatiya Janata Party”.

Referring to a tweet by Agnihotri, the notice mentioned, “He also questioned in tweet as to on what basis you think that the movie The Kashmir Files which was about genocide and terrorism, was to defame Kashmir people, on what basis you say so maliciously that it is funded by political party….”

The notice further asked that either the “allegations” be substantiated with authentic proof, or the statements be withdrawn “by addressing media in similar manner and tendering unconditional apology to them”.

The West Bengal government on Monday had imposed a ban on screening of The Kerala Story in the state. Addressing reporters, the chief minister talked about “divisive” politics, and brought into conversation the other films, as she talked about the film The Kerala Story.