Bollywood actor Anupam Kher has slammed director Vishal Bhardwaj for dedicating the National Awards he won for the film Haider to Kashmiri Pandits.
The Shahid Kapoor modern adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet was set in Kashmir during the period of insurgency in the state.
Its win at the 62nd National Awards included the best music director and dialogues for Bhardwaj.
“I dedicate my award to them and I feel very sad because they misunderstood my feelings. I have said it before that the tragedy of Kashmiri Pandits is very big,” the director had told reporters after the awards were announced.
Kher, who himself is a Kashmiri Pandit, in a series of tweets slammed the filmmaker and called his move “fraudish”.
“While I congratulate Vishal Bhardwaj for National Awards but dedicating them to #KashmiriPandits genocide is such a fraudish thing to do,” he tweeted.
“When was last time Vishal Bhardwaj spoke about d plight of #KashmiriPandits? He in fact humiliated us by doing dance of devil at our temple [sic],” he said.
Haider also won best playback singer, choreography and costume design.
