Kangana Ranaut-starrer “Emergency” was released in theatres on Friday with mixed reviews even as the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) protested against its screening in Punjab.
The SGPC is demanding a ban on the film in the northern state for its “wrongful depiction” of the Sikh community.
Protests were held outside theatres in cities like Amritsar and Patiala, and visuals from these locations showed heavy police presence to ensure order. Several theatres across the state also canceled the film’s screening due to strong opposition from the SGPC.
Reacting to the protests, a statement from Ranaut’s team read, “This is complete harassment of art and artists from Punjab and many cities are reporting that these people are not allowing Emergency to be screened. I have utmost respect for all religions and after studying and growing up in Chandigarh I have closely observed and followed Sikh.”
The film also marks Ranaut’s directorial debut and features Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Mahima Chaudhary, Milind Soman, and Vishak Nair in supporting roles.
The SGPC claimed the film portrays Sikhs in a negative light and distorts historical facts, especially regarding the Sikh community and the events of 1984. One protestor said, “We are against the release of Emergency because it misrepresents the Sikh religion and history. We had raised our concerns earlier, but the government did nothing to stop the film. The Censor Board allowed it, and now we are protesting.”
The protestors also warned that the Punjab government would be responsible for any law and order problems, as they had already written to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann without receiving a reply.
In August last year, the SGPC sent a legal notice to the film’s producers, alleging that it “misrepresented” the character and history of Sikhs, and asked them to remove objectionable scenes depicting “anti-Sikh” sentiments.
Punjab Congress chief and Congress MP Amarinder Singh Raja Warring said that governments and censor boards must keep an eye on films like “Emergency” because such films show scripted stories, which are not true, adding that “the facts are twisted; otherwise, they wouldn’t be successful if there was no masala.”