Filmmaker Hansal Mehta has made a powerful statement in the aftermath of the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, drawing connections between his films and the chilling realities of radicalisation and violence that continue to plague society.
On April 22, the serene Baisaran Valley in Pahalgam became the site of one of the deadliest attacks the region has witnessed in recent times. Armed terrorists opened fire on tourists and local residents, killing at least 26 people, including two foreign nationals. The assailants, reportedly descending from nearby hills, targeted unsuspecting civilians in a brutal display of violence that has sent shockwaves across the country.
Reacting to the tragedy, Mehta took to social media to reflect on how the stories he has told through films like Shahid, Omertà, and Faraaz were not mere cinematic ventures but urgent, necessary conversations about the state of the world today.
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“I hate having to say this. But it needs to be said — again,” Mehta began in a heartfelt post. “Shahid, Omertà, and Faraaz were not just films. They were urgent conversations about the times we live in. They spoke about state-sponsored terror, about radicalisation, about young minds being systematically brainwashed into violence.”
He emphasized that the horrific events depicted in Omertà and Faraaz — stories based on real-life terror incidents — now find an alarming resonance in what happened at Pahalgam.
“Omertà gave a raw, unsparing look into the sinister powers that enable and nurture such heinous acts. Faraaz — heartbreakingly — showed how violence targets innocence in the name of belief,” Mehta wrote. “Shahid was a plea for reform, for reclaiming our youth before they fall prey to hate.”
Addressing past criticism that accused him of targeting a particular community with his choice of stories, Mehta firmly rejected such interpretations. “No. These stories are about a system — a machinery of hatred and fear — that cuts across faiths and borders. A system that thrives on breeding division. A system that brainwashes the young, glorifies the bloodshed, and normalises the terror.”
Calling out the tendency of some to indulge in “moral grandstanding” or dismiss uncomfortable narratives as politically incorrect, Mehta stressed the urgent need for society to confront these difficult realities head-on.
“Is it really woke to deny the disease? To look away because confronting it is hard? I believe it is cowardice. And it is dangerous,” he asserted. “We must stop looking away. We must look this hatred — this sickness — straight in the eye. Only then can we even begin to heal.”
The Pahalgam attack, with its staggering loss of innocent lives, serves as a grim reminder of the dangers of radicalisation and unchecked hatred. Hansal Mehta’s words come as a clarion call for introspection — a reminder that acknowledging the roots of violence is the first step toward preventing it.
As the country mourns the victims of this devastating tragedy, Mehta’s impassioned plea to confront hatred, rather than ignore it, echoes louder than ever.
