New Delhi, April 23 (IANS) Darshan Kumaar is “shaken and heartbroken” after learning about the news of the terror attack in Pahalgam. The actor said the “painful reality” was depicted in his film “The Kashmir Files”, but watching something so similar unfold again is absolutely heartbreaking.
The terror attack — the deadliest in the Valley since the 2019 Pulwama strike — occurred on Tuesday at Baisaran, a scenic meadow in Anantnag district accessible only by foot or pony. A group of tourists visiting the area were targeted.
The Resistance Front, a shadow outfit of the banned Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba, has claimed responsibility for the attack. An official government confirmation is awaited.
In a conversation with IANS, Darshan said: “The news of the terror attack in Pahalgam has left me shaken and heartbroken. I couldn’t even gather the strength to watch the real footage — it’s too disturbing, too painful. Innocent people, families, children — they were there just to celebrate, to make memories.”
“And in a moment, their lives were taken away by this mindless act of terror. It’s beyond devastating.”
The actor recalled how while shooting in Kashmir, how the local youth would come up to him and express their concerns – saying how few tourists visit,
“How it’s affecting their livelihoods. They wanted peace, growth, and a future filled with hope. And now, this attack is not just on the innocent victims, it’s an attack on Kashmir’s peace, its people, and its future,” he said.
The actor added: “Kashmir is finally beginning to shine, and something like this threatens to push it back into darkness. That’s why I believe we all — as a nation — must take a united stand against terrorism.”
“And most importantly, the people of Kashmir must raise their voices louder than ever before, to protect their own dreams and their children’s future. We depicted this painful reality in The Kashmir Files, but watching something so similar unfold again is absolutely heartbreaking. Enough is enough. It’s time to rise, to protect the soul of Kashmir and the spirit of humanity.”
“The Kashmir Files” released in a drama film directed by Vivek Agnihotri.The film presents a fictional storyline centred around the 1990 exodus of Kashmiri Hindus from Indian-administered Kashmir.
It depicts the exodus and the events leading up to it as a genocide. The Kashmir Files stars Mithun Chakraborty, Anupam Kher, Darshan Kumaar, and Pallavi Joshi.
The plot follows a Kashmiri Hindu college student, raised by his exiled grandfather and shielded from the knowledge of the circumstances of the death of his parents. After his grandfather’s death, the student, who had come to believe at college that the exodus was benign, becomes driven to uncover the facts of his family’s deaths.
The plot alternates between the student’s quest in the present time, 2020, and his family’s travails of thirty years before.
–IANS
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