No, Vivek Agnihotri has not donated ₹200 cr from ‘The Kashmir Files’ to PM Relief Fund

A photo of ‘The Kashmir Files’ director Vivek Agnihotri with Prime Minister Modi is viral as part of an infographic that reads, “The KASHMIR FILES donated the entire fund of 200 crores to the Prime Minister’s Fund. Salute to Vivek Agnihotri for donating the entire collection of ‘The Kashmir Files’ to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund.” It is important to note that the film has earned approximately ₹250 crores at the box office.

The Kashmir Files के निर्माता विवेक अग्निहोत्री ने अपना वादा पूरा करते हुए 200 करोड़ का चेक प्रधानमंत्री राहत कोष के लिए मोदी जी को सौंपा।
इस पैसे का इस्तेमाल कश्मीरी पंडितों के लिए किया जाएगा। pic.twitter.com/3lbOB13f7t

— P.N.Rai (@PNRai1) April 6, 2022

This photo is viral on Twitter with the same claim.

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It is also circulating on Facebook.

Fact-check

Photo

We performed a Google reverse image search on the photo and found it in an article on Dainik Jagran’s English portal published on March 13, 2022. According to the article, Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri, his wife Pallavi Joshi and filmmaker Abhishek Agarwal met Prime Minister Modi on March 12 where the PM appreciated the team for the film.

On March 12, filmmaker Abhishek Agarwal tweeted some more pictures of their meeting with PM Modi.

I am so glad for you @AbhishekOfficl you have shown the courage to produce the most challenging truth of Bharat. #TheKashmirFiles screenings in USA proved the changing mood of the world in the leadership of @narendramodi https://t.co/uraoaYR9L9

— Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) March 12, 2022

Did Vivek Agnihotri donate ₹200 crores to PM Relief Fund?

We did not find reports corroborating the claim that Vivek Agnihotri has donated ₹200 crores to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund.

We came across a report by Patrika published earlier this year discussing an interview of Vivek Agnihotri and Pallavi Joshi. According to the report, Agnihotri was asked a question about whether he will be donating the film’s earnings. Joshi called the question absurd and said that there are four producers of the film and they are the ones who earn money and further invest it in future projects.

It is noteworthy that Niyaz Khan, an IAS officer from Madhya Pradesh, had asked Agnihotri in a tweet to donate the earnings of ‘The Kashmir Files’ to Kashmiri Pandits. Agnihotri took a jibe at Khan in response.

Sir Niyaz Khaan Sahab, Bhopal aa raha hoon 25th ko. Please give an appointment so we can meet and exchange ideas how we can help and how you can help with the royalty of your books and your power as an IAS officer. https://t.co/9P3oif8nfL

— Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) March 20, 2022

Aaj Tak contacted Agnihotri’s PR team regarding the viral claim. His PR team dismissed this claim as a rumour.

To sum it up, a photo of Vivek Agnihotri’s meeting with PM Modi was shared with the false claim that he handed over a cheque of ₹200 crores to PM Modi for the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund.