Plaint filed against 'The Kashmir Files' maker for his 'Bhopali-homosexual' remark

The complaint, filed by journalist-cum-celebrity public relations manager Rohit Pandey in Mumbai, sought registration of an FIR for defamation and other charges against Agnihotri.

A complaint was been filed against 'The Kashmir Files' director Vivek Agnihotri at a police station in Mumbai over his "Bhopali means homosexual" comment. The complaint sought registration of a first information report (FIR) for defamation and other charges against Agnihotri.

Director Vivek Agnihotri addresses a press conference regarding his movie The Kashmir Files in Delhi. (Mohd Zakir)

The complaint was submitted at Versova police station by journalist-cum-celebrity public relations manager Rohit Pandey through his lawyer Ali Kashif Khan Deshmukh, a police officer said.

In his complaint, Pandey said the film director had insulted and disrespected his (Pandey's) native place Bhopal by "willingly, wantonly and maliciously calling Bhopalis as homosexuals" in an interview.

According to a PTI report, the complainant sought registration of the FIR against Agnihotri under IPC sections 153 A and B for promoting enmity between different groups, 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), 298 (uttering words, etc., with deliberate intent to wound the religious feelings), 500 (punishment for defamation), 505-II (statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill will between classes)

A video of Agnihotri's interview to an online portal had gone viral ahead of his Bhopal visit on Friday to participate in a film festival. Agnihotri can be heard saying in the clip, said to be three weeks old, that while he grew up in Bhopal, he did not identify himself as a Bhopali, as the term had a different meaning.

“I have grown up in Bhopal, but I am not a Bhopali. Because Bhopali has a different connotation. You can ask any Bhopali. I will explain it to you in private. If someone says he is Bhopali, it generally means he is homosexual, a person with Nawabi likings,” ‘The Kashmir Files’ director said in Hindi.

Agnihotri's comment had drawn flak from politicians and netizens who said it was made in bad taste and was insulting to the people of Bhopal.

Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister and Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said Agnihotri’s comment must be from his personal experience. "It is not what common Bhopal residents feel. I am associated with Bhopal and Bhopal residents since 1977 and this is not what I feel to be right. Wherever you stay, there's always an influence of the company you keep," Singh wrote in a tweet.

(With inputs from agencies)