The Kashmir Files controversy escalates as minimal screens issued in Kerala, Mohanlal trolled

The Kashmir Files, written and directed by Vivek Agnihotri had its grand theatrical release on March 11, 2022. The film, upon its release, received positive responses from all corners, and audiences are lauding the makers for handling such a theme with perfection on screen. However, the latest reports suggest that the film is being screened on a very less number of screens in Kerala, and several people are calling it an 'unofficial ban', due to the subject it handles. 

Mohanlal trolled for not screening movies in Aashirvad Cinemas

According to the latest updates, The Kashmir Files is being screened only in nine theaters in the southern state. 

Even though netizens are urging theater owners to screen this movie in more theaters, the film is still running on selected multiplex screens in cities like Cochin, Thiruvananthapuram, and Thrissur. 

Meanwhile, a section of social media users has now started criticizing Superstar Mohanlal for not screening The Kashmir Files in Aashirvad Cinemas. It should be noted that the theater chain has screens in almost all districts, but none of these screens are screening the Bollywood movie. 

According to these critics, Mohanlal is a person who holds an honorary lieutenant colonel title, but still, he is reluctant to screen a film like The Kashmir Files in his theaters. 

The Kashmir Files is based on the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits during the Kashmir Insurgency. The film stars Anupam Kher, Darshan Kumar, Mithun Chakraborty, and Pallavi Joshi in the lead roles. 

Unofficial ban: Not a new thing in Kerala

Unofficial ban of films is not a new thing in Kerala. In 2013, Arun Gopy's Left Right Left which tried to explore the ugly side of communism had also faced a similar fate. Despite receiving positive reviews from critics and audiences alike, the film was removed from almost all theaters in the state. 

At that time, several critics alleged that threats from CPI(M) had compelled theaters to remove the film from the screens. 

As the controversies surrounding The Kashmir Files heat up, it is still unclear whether more theaters in Kerala will express their readiness to screen the movie. 

Fall of Mohanlal? Expressionless face and weak eyes raise many questions - IBTimes India