Kangana Ranaut Criticises SGPC's Ban On Emergency Film As Harassment Of Art And Artists

Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut expressed her discontent over the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee's (SGPC) demand to ban her film "Emergency" in Punjab. The SGPC chief, Harjinder Singh Dhami, requested Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to halt the movie's screenings. Consequently, cinemas in Ludhiana, Amritsar, Patiala, and Bathinda refrained from showing the film due to protests by SGPC members. Police were stationed outside these venues.

"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. "I have utmost respect for all religions and after studying and growing up in Chandigarh, I have closely observed and followed Sikh religion. This is a complete lie and propaganda to tarnish my image and harm my film #Emergency," Ranaut, a BJP MP from Himachal Pradesh's Mandi, said in a post on X.

The film "Emergency" portrays former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi during the 21-month Emergency period from 1975 to 1977. It faced controversy over its censor certificate and accusations of misrepresenting the Sikh community. Despite these issues, it was released nationwide after several delays. The SGPC had previously issued a legal notice to the producers in August last year, claiming that the film distorted Sikh history and demanded removal of scenes they found objectionable.

Ranaut responded to Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira's support for banning the film. Khaira accused her of being critical of farmers and Sikhs without understanding their contributions to India. He urged Chief Minister Mann to act swiftly against the movie for allegedly defaming Sikhs and Punjab.

"SGPC is our elected representative body and @BhagwantMann should take immediate steps to ban the film that depicts Sikhs in bad light and brings defamation to our state of Punjab and its people," he said.

The ongoing dispute highlights tensions between artistic expression and community sentiments. Ranaut insists that her intentions were not to offend any religion or community but rather to depict historical events through cinema. The situation remains tense as both sides stand firm on their positions regarding the film's portrayal of sensitive subjects.