New Delhi, Jan 17: Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut expressed her views on Friday regarding the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee’s (SGPC) request to ban the film “Emergency” and its limited screenings in certain areas of Punjab, labeling it as a significant form of harassment against “art and the artist.”
On Thursday, SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami approached Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, urging for a prohibition on the film, which premiered nationwide on Friday.
Numerous cinemas in Ludhiana, Amritsar, Patiala, and Bathinda refrained from showing “Emergency” following protests from SGPC members. Additional police presence was established around malls and cinemas in the region.
“It is absolute harassment of art and the artist, as reports indicate that in many Punjab cities, screenings of ‘Emergency’ are being obstructed.
“I hold immense respect for all faiths and having been raised in Chandigarh, I have a well-informed understanding of the Sikh religion. This is a complete fabrication—a campaign intended to damage my reputation and jeopardize my film #Emergency,” Ranaut, a BJP MP from Mandi in Himachal Pradesh, commented in a post on X.
The 38-year-old performer and director responded to a statement from Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira, who backed the SGPC’s ban request, claiming that Ranaut has been a vocal critic of “farmers & Sikhs” while disregarding their contributions to our nation.
“SGPC represents our elected body and @BhagwantMann must take swift actions to prohibit the film that portrays Sikhs negatively and brings disrepute to Punjab and its inhabitants,” he said.
The political drama features Ranaut portraying former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, centering on the tumultuous period of Emergency from 1975 to 1977.
Despite controversies regarding its censorship and accusations of misrepresenting the Sikh community, “Emergency” was released across India on Friday after numerous postponements.
Last August, the SGPC sent a legal warning to the film’s producers, asserting that it misrepresented Sikh history and character, demanding the removal of scenes that allegedly conveyed “anti-Sikh” sentiments. (Agencies)
