SGPC demands ban on controversial movie ‘Nanak Shah Fakir’

The film’s music was released amid a backdrop posterthat read “with the supposrt and blessings of Sri Akal Takht Sahib”.

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Tuesday after a special meeting of SGPC executive committee at Chandigarh demanded “immediate ban” on movie Nanak Shah Fakir, even as music of controversial movie was officially released today during a music release ceremony at Delhi amid a backdrop poster that read “with the support and blessings of Sri Akal Takht Sahib”.

The movie is scheduled to be released worldwide on April 17.

Akal Takht chief Giani Gurbachan Singh, when contacted by The Indian Express on Tuesday about film being promoted as being supported and blessed by Akal Takht, said, “Aiven bakwaas maar rahe ne (They are talking nonsense)”.

“We had praised the concept when it was told to us. But, when movie was complete and we saw it, there were objectionale content. And the producer had assured us that he would make the amends and would publicise the same through media. There were some issues with gurbani, which were sorted out. But, the issue relating to some human being playing the role of Guru and his family was yet to be addressed,” said Akal Takht chief Giani Gurbachan Singh, who watched a special screening of the movie with a number of Sikh leaders including Sikh seminary Damdami Taksal head Harnam Singh Khalsa at Delhi some time back.

“Those who watched the movie had raised their concerns there and then including Harnam Singh Khalsa,” said Singh.

Notably, the Sikh bodies including top representative body of Sikhs are citing Sikh tenets to hammer the point that no human can play the role of Sikh Guru.

Said SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar, “The human roles of Guru and his family members played in the film are against the Sikh tenets and the SGPC condemns it. We demand an immediate ban on the film from union government and Censor Baord,” Makkar said, adding that in future anyone making Sikh religious film should first approcah SGPC to seek approval of the script and film should be screened before SGPC before the release for approval. “SGPC also demands that two Sikh representatives be included in the Censor Board,” Makkar said.

In a related development, radical Sikh organisation Dal Khalsa which along with Damdami Taksal has already submitted a memorandum to Akal Takht chief against the movie, on Tuesday initiated a public campaign against the movie and distributed pamphlets to seek stopping the release of the movie. “We will not tolerate tempering of our beliefs”. “Portrayal of Guru Sahib and family strictly prohibited in Sikhism”. “Stop release of Nanak Shah Fakir”., read the pamphlets, giving phone numbers of Akal Takht chief Giani Gurbachan Singh and film producer-director Harinder Singh Sikka, for writing request note and protest note, respectively in connection with the film.

Dal Khalsa spokesperson Kanwar Pal Singh, the makers of movie were blatantly using the name of Akal Takht and claim to have “blessings of Akal Takht”, but Akal Takht was yet to issue any directions to “stop use of its name and seal of Akal Takht in film promotion”.

This, despite Akal Takht chief claiming that Akal Takht was not backing the movie. “Blasphemy is being committed, but Akal Takht is not acting to check that,” said Singh.

The ripple effect of the controversy was felt not only in India but other countries having sizeable Sikh population. As many as 17 Sikh bodies alleging that movie had scenes that were “disrespectful to the Sikh Gurus” reportedly wrote to Peel Regional Office, Cineplex Inc, Albion Cinemas and Ontario Film Review Board to stop screening of the movie in Canada, decertify the film due to its “defamatroy and disrespectful nature”.

On the other hand, a release relating to music launch of the film at Delhi sent to Amritsar office of this paper quoted film producer-director Sikka as “dismissing the rumours of role of Guru played by some human” and maintained that Guru’s role was shown through “computer graphics” and voice also through computer techonolgy. Among those who were present at the music launch were Oscar award winner A R Rahman, Pandit Jasraj, singer Kailash Kher and former Hazuri Ragi of Darbar Sahib Nirmal Singh Khalsa.

Source:: Indian Express