- Friday, January 17, 2025
Several Sikh organisations held protests outside cinemas and malls in Ludhiana, Amritsar, Patiala, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, and Bathinda, objecting to the film’s release
By: India Weekly
PROTESTS by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and various Sikh organisations led to the movie “Emergency” being withheld from cinemas in Punjab on Friday.
The film, directed, written, and produced by Kangana Ranaut, centres on the Emergency imposed by former prime minister Indira Gandhi between 1975 and 1977.
The SGPC and several Sikh organisations held protests outside cinemas and malls in Ludhiana, Amritsar, Patiala, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, and Bathinda, objecting to the film’s release.
The protests were fuelled by concerns that the film misrepresents the Sikh community and includes objectionable portrayals of Sikh characters.
Ranaut, who plays Indira Gandhi in the film, responded to these objections by denouncing the calls for a ban, calling them “complete harassment of art and the artiste.”
She expressed her frustration over the restricted screenings, claiming the actions against her film are a form of targeted harassment.
“We spoke with the Central government and the Punjab government to stop the release of the movie but no action was taken…,” SGPC member Partap Singh told PTI. “This film has been made to disturb the peace of Punjab.”
In Amritsar, demonstrators, including women, carried black flags and placards calling for the movie to be banned.
SGPC members voiced their concerns, with Kulwant Singh Manan saying, “Ranaut is an MP from the BJP, and the responsibility of an MP is significant. He or she should work to bring everyone in society together, but instead, she is creating divisions.”
Further protests took place in Mohali, where SGPC member Rajinder Singh Tohra insisted that the film was created to insult the Sikh community.
“We will not let the movie release in Mohali or anywhere in Punjab,” he said. Similar opposition was reported in other cities, including Jalandhar, where Sikh organisations vowed to prevent the screening.
On Thursday, SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami sent a letter to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann urging a ban on the film, citing its perceived negative impact on the Sikh community.
Ranaut responded to the protests on social media, stating, “This is complete harassment of art and the artist. From Punjab, many cities are reporting that these people are not allowing Emergency to be screened.”
She emphasised her respect for all religions and criticized the allegations, claiming they were part of a propaganda effort to damage her image and her film.
The SGPC’s opposition follows legal action last year when it issued a notice to the film’s producers, accusing them of misrepresenting Sikh history and demanding the removal of scenes deemed offensive.
