Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

The House of Lords hosts lunch to honour 'The Kashmir Files' makers Vivek Agnihotri & Pallavi Joshi

‘The Kashmir Files’ movie touched the hearts of the people, said Lord Rami Ranger who hosted the party.

The House of Lords hosts lunch to honour 'The Kashmir Files' makers Vivek Agnihotri & Pallavi Joshi

THE House of Lords on June 9 hosted a lunch in the honour of Indian filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri and actor-producer Pallavi Joshi, his spouse.

The luncheon party for the makers of Bollywood film ‘The Kashmir Files’ was hosted by Lord Rami Ranger CBE.


In his welcome address, Lord Ranger said, “'The Kashmir Files' movie touched the hearts of the people. The atrocities perpetrated by the film for many years came out. People were left to suffer at that time. I have seen this film, and seeing the atrocities made my heart cry. My family was also a victim of post-independence violence, and my father was assassinated by fundamentalists in Pakistan.

The House of Lords lunch party for Vivek Agnihotri and Pallavi Joshi Lord Rami Ranger (extreme right) with ‘The Kashmir Files’ director Vivek Agnihotri and Pallavi Joshi at the lunch party which the House of Lords hosted on June 9.

Due to my father’s honour, we were all able to come to India, sitting in the coal compartment of the train. Thanks to the hard work of my mother, all five of my five brothers became commissioned officers in the Indian Army. Religion in the true sense is for peace, not to degrade or harm people. I salute prime minister Modi for repealing Article 370. The people of Kashmir will now be able to reap the full benefits of India’s development.”

The film, which got released earlier this year is based on interviews of first-generation victims and covers the sufferings endured by the Kashmiri Pandit community in India’s Kashmir region which eventually led to their exodus in 1990. It features veteran actors such as Anupam Kher, Pallavi Joshi, Mithun Chakraborty in pivotal roles and made a massive impact in the box office, both in India and abroad.

Speaking on the occasion, Joshi said, “We are all here today for a special purpose. We have witnessed the way Kashmiri Pandits have been harassed. The whole matter was ignored, it was systematically sidelined. The whole community was evacuated from the valley. We have tried to do them justice through this film.”

The House of Lords lunch party for Vivek Agnihotri and Pallavi Joshi Lord Rami Ranger with ‘The Kashmir Files’ director Vivek Agnihotri and Pallavi Joshi and other dignitaries at the lunch party which the House of Lords hosted on June 9.

Agnihotri said, “Lord Ranger’s father was martyred, but he worked hard, and I appreciate his success. We have proved that we are all diligent. Because of this, Indians are looked upon with respect in every field all over the world. The way the government of India and Modi handled the Covid-19 epidemic and helped India vaccinate and help people around the world is commendable.

"‘The Kashmir Files’ were an attempt to give voice to the voiceless. Our next film will be about Indian scientists, and the next film will be ‘Delhi Files’. We must fight terrorism together. But the unfortunate thing is that we are considered Islamophobic.”

Member of parliament Theresa Villiers, who was also present on the said, “'The Kashmir Files' has uncovered a horrible crime story. It shows the way the Hindus were ignored. Many of my fellow MPs have not raised their voices on the rational issue.”

Lord Bhikhu Parekh said, “Lord Rami Ranger is my companion and has done great deeds for the Indians in this country. The dream of present-day India is to become a world Guru, but Gandhiji never went abroad after coming to India. The Chinese premier once said that if you show your strength to others, the harm will outweigh the benefits.”

Other pioneers also made speeches on the occasion.

More For You

Voices of Faith - Day 2: A profound confluence of spirituality, music, and dialogue

Barnaby Rogerson in conversation with Anthony Sattin (L) on day 2 of Voices of Faith

Voices of Faith - Day 2: A profound confluence of spirituality, music, and dialogue

Mahesh Liloriya

The second day of Voices of Faith unfolded with an enchanting blend of music, philosophy, and intellectual exploration at the Barbican Centre, London. This inaugural festival, curated by Teamwork Arts—the force behind the Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) and JLF London—has been made possible by the Kamini and Vindi Banga Family Trust, with the support of Tech Mahindra. Eastern Eye and Garavi Gujarat serve as the official media partners, amplifying the festival’s reach and resonance.

Session 1- Echoes of eternity: The timeless notes of Kabir

Keep ReadingShow less
starmer-immigration

Speaking at the Organised Immigration Crime Summit, Starmer said the government is working to restore order to the immigration system.

UK returns 24,000 illegal migrants since July, highest in eight years

THE UK government has returned over 24,000 individuals with no legal right to remain in the country since July, marking the highest rate of removals in eight years, prime minister Keir Starmer said on Monday.

Speaking at the Organised Immigration Crime Summit, Starmer said the government is working to restore order to the immigration system.

Keep ReadingShow less
'Aga Khan dedicated his life to service, peace, and pluralism'

Baroness Patricia Scotland speaks at an Iftar dinner held at the Ismaili Centre in London (Photo: The Ismaili National Council for the United Kingdom)

'Aga Khan dedicated his life to service, peace, and pluralism'

THE outgoing head of the Commonwealth has paid tribute to the late Prince Karim Aga Khan, describing him as a visionary leader whose lifelong dedication to service, peace, and pluralism has left a lasting impact on the world.

Speaking at an Iftar dinner held at the Ismaili Centre in London last Wednesday (26), Baroness Patricia Scotland, who steps down as Commonwealth secretary general on 1 April, reflected on her personal connection with the Aga Khan, recalling their meetings during Commonwealth Day celebrations at Westminster Abbey.

Keep ReadingShow less
Starmer-Trump-Getty

Trump has suggested the possibility of a 'great' trade deal that could help the UK mitigate the impact of tariffs he has pledged to introduce. (Photo: Getty Images)

Starmer, Trump talk trade deal progress in 'productive' discussion

KEIR STARMER and Donald Trump spoke on Sunday about ongoing UK-US trade negotiations, with Downing Street describing the talks as "productive."

Since leaving the European Union, the UK has been working to secure a trade agreement with the United States. Successive British governments have pursued a deal, but it has remained elusive.

Keep ReadingShow less
Myanmar-quake-rescue-Reuters

Rescuers carry the body of a victim during search and rescue operations, following a strong earthquake, in Bangkok, Thailand, March 30. (Photo: Reuters)

Myanmar earthquake death toll rises to 1,700, UK pledges £10m in aid

RESCUE efforts continued in Myanmar as residents searched for survivors in collapsed buildings in Mandalay, two days after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck the country. The disaster has killed at least 1,700 people in Myanmar and 17 in neighbouring Thailand.

The quake hit near Mandalay on Friday afternoon, followed minutes later by a 6.7-magnitude aftershock. The tremors caused widespread destruction, damaging buildings, bridges, and roads in the city of more than 1.7 million people.

Keep ReadingShow less