The strong criticism of the film, The Kashmir Files, by the Israeli chairman of the jury of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) has led to furious reactions from several quarters with Israel's ambassador to India issuing an open letter describing the adverse comments it as "abuse of hospitality" extended by the hosts.

"In Indian culture they say that a guest is like God. You have abused in the worst way the Indian invitation to chair the panel of judges at @IFFIGoa as well as the trust, respect and warm hospitality they have bestowed on you," ambassador Naor Gilon wrote on Twitter in his letter addressed to Israeli writer and film director Nadav Lapid, the chairman of the jury of IFFI.

Lapid had on Monday described The Kashmir Files as a “propaganda vulgar movie inappropriate for an artistic competitive section of such a prestigious film festival” as IFFI.

The Kashmir Files, written and directed by Vivek Agnihotri, is based on the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley at the height of militancy in the 90s. The movie, endorsed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and enthusiastically promoted by BJP leaders and some BJP-ruled states, was a commercial success, but faced allegations of fanning communal sentiments.

The comments on Agnihotri’s film — one of the three Indian films entered for the Golden Peacock — were made by Lapid at the festival’s closing ceremony in Goa in the presence of a galaxy of invitees, including Union information and broadcasting minister Anurag Thakur.

Here is what Lapid said

“All of us were disturbed and shocked by the movie The Kashmir Files. It felt to us like a propaganda and vulgar movie that was inappropriate for an artistic and competitive section of such a prestigious film festival.

“I feel comfortable to openly share this feeling with you since the spirit of the festival can truly accept critical discussion which is essential for art and life”, Lapid said.

Here’s what the Israeli ambassador to India said

Naor Gilon wrote on Twitter: An open letter to #NadavLapid following his criticism of #KashmirFiles. It’s not in Hebrew because I wanted our Indian brothers and sisters to be able to understand. It is also relatively long so I’ll give you the bottom line first. YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED. Here’s why:

1. In Indian culture they say that a guest is like God. You have abused in the worst way the Indian invitation to chair the panel of judges at @IFFIGoa as well as the trust, respect and warm hospitality they have bestowed on you.

2. Our Indian friends brought @lioraz and @issacharoff from @FaudaOfficial in order to celebrate the love in #India towards #Fauda and #Israel. I suspect that this is maybe also one of the reasons they invited you as an Israeli and me as the ambassador of Israel.

I understand your need in retrospect to “justify” your behavior but I can’t understand why you told @ynetnews afterwards that the minister and I said on stage that there is similarity between our countries because “we fight a similar enemy and reside in a bad neighborhood”.

We did speak about the similarities and closeness between our countries. The minister spoke about his visits to Israel, it being a Hi-Tech nation and the potential of combining this with the film industry. I spoke about the fact that we grew up watching Indian films.

I also said that we should be humble when India, with such a great film culture, is consuming Israeli content (Fauda and more).

3. I’m no film expert but I do know that it’s insensitive and presumptuous to speak about historic events before deeply studying them and which are an open wound in India because many of the involved are still around and still paying a price.

4. As a son of a holocaust survivor, I was extremely hurt to see reactions in India to you that are doubting Schindler’s List, the Holocaust and worse. I unequivocally condemn such statements. There is no justification. It does show the sensitivity of the Kashmir issue here.

5. From your interview to Ynet the connection you make between your criticism of #KashmirFiles and your dislike to what is happening in Israeli politics was quite evident.

My suggestion. As you vocally did in the past, feel free to use the liberty to sound your criticism of what you dislike in Israel but no need to reflect your frustration on other countries. I’m not sure that you have enough factual basis to make such comparisons. I know I don’t.

6. You will go back to Israel thinking that you are bold and “made a statement”. We, the representatives of Israel, would stay here. You should see our DM boxes following your “bravery” and what implications it may have on the team under my responsibility."The friendship between the people and the states of India and Israel is very strong and will survive the damage you have inflicted. As a human being I feel ashamed and want to apologize to our hosts for the bad manner in which we repaid them for their generosity and friendship," Gilon said in another tweet.

Here's what Israel's Consul General to Mumbai Kobbi Shoshani said

Shoshani also disagreed with Lapid’s comments. "I saw the Kashmir file and met the cast. I have a different opinion than Nadav Lapid. After his speech, I told Nadav my opinion. @vivekagnihotri”, Shoshani tweeted.

Here's what actor Anupam Kher had to say

Kher, who played a pivotal role in the film, called Lapid’s comments on The Kashmir Files “pre-planned” and hinted that the “toolkit gang” may have something to do with it.

“Its pre-planned I think, toolkit gang is also active now. It's shameful for him to make a statement like this. Jews have suffered holocaust and he comes from that community, it had pained those people who faced it,” Kher said.

Kher also shared his thoughts on Twitter. “No matter how high the height of the lie is..It is always small in comparison to the truth,” he said.

Here's Darshan Kumar, another actor in the film, said

“Everyone has their own individual opinions on anything they see and perceive. But one can’t deny the fact is that The Kashmir files is a film which has depicted the actual plight of Kashmiri pandit community, who are still fighting for justice against the brutal acts of terrorism,” Kumar said.

Here's what the BJP said

The BJP said that just like people denied the Holocaust and called Schindler’s List a propaganda, some people were doing the same to Kashmir Files.

BJP’s Amit Malviya wrote on Twitter, “Israel’s Ambassador responds to compatriot filmmaker Nadav Lapid’s criticism of Kashmir Files. For the longest time, people even denied the Holocaust and called Schindler’s List a propaganda, just like some are doing to Kashmir Files”.

"Truth eventually triumphs, no matter what," Malviya added.

Here's what the Congress party said

Senior Congress leader Ravinder Sharma said that “the way the government promoted The Kashmir Files and launched a campaign itself showed propaganda”, adding that the statement of Nadiv Lapid is an “embarrassment for the government”.

Congress’s leader Supriya Shrinate wrote on Twitter, “PM Modi, his govt, BJP, the RW ecosystem feverishly promoted The Kashmir Files A movie rejected by International Film Festival Of India. “Jury Head Nadav Lapid called it propaganda, vulgar movie – inappropriate for the film festival,” she added.