Emergency: Why do Sikh bodies want Kangana Ranaut starrer to be banned? Here's everything we know so far

Emergency, directed by Kangana Ranaut is based on the time former PM Indira Gandhi announced Emergency in 1975 and what happened later.

Why do Sikh bodies want Kangana Ranaut starrer to be banned?

It should not come as a shock to anyone that a movie about the Emergency got made, is now up for release, and there are sparks visible as people are angry with the content of the movie. Kangana Ranaut is back on the big screen with a movie for the first time after being elected as the MP from Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi, where she plays former Prime Minister, the late Indira Gandhi. The movie talks about one episode from Gandhi’s tenure as PM, which is looked upon as a dark phase in contemporary Indian history. The movie will focus on the former Prime Minister imposing the Emergency and what happened while it was imposed. However, it turns out that Sikh bodies, many leaders from Punjab, Akalis, and the SGPC are all upset with the content and want a ban to be imposed on the movie.

For the unversed, many influential organizations, bodies, and people from Punjab have now raised their voices against Emergency and have decided to demand a ban on the release of the movie. They feel the content of the movie not only hurts their sentiments but is also distorted for the convenience of the makers. The movie has been directed by Kangana Ranaut, and she is also one of the producers under her banner, Manikarnika Films. Read on to know more about the same.

But Why the Ban Demands?

In the trailer of Emergency released on August 14, 2024, it is shown that slain Sikh militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale is in cohorts with Indira Gandhi. He is depicted promising the former PM to bring in votes for her Congress party in return for a separate Sikh state. This portrayal has left the Sikh community angry, and they are accusing the movie of offending their sentiments and portraying their community in a negative light.

Also read: Kangana Ranaut promises Emergency release date announcement, starts dubbing for her upcoming film

Sikh hardliner Sarabjit Singh Khalsa, who is also an MP from Faridkot, was the first to object to Emergency. Khalsa is the son of Beant Singh, one of the two assassins of Indira Gandhi. Khalsa has requested the Punjab government to ban the release of Emergency to avoid any law and order situation in the state. Several leaders have also shared their opinions on the matter.

BJP Spokesperson in Punjab Says…

As per The Print Vineet Joshi, the spokesperson for the BJP in Punjab, said that the main objection against Emergency is that the film shows Bhindranwale as a creation of Indira Gandhi. “Journalists who have covered the Punjab militancy, including Kuldip Nayar, among others, have on several occasions and in several books clearly said that Bhindranwale was chosen by the top leadership of the Congress to wean away Panthic voters from the SAD in Punjab. However, Nayar adds in his book (on the Emergency) that the Congress later regretted creating Bhindranwale because he became too big for them to handle,” he said.

“Apart from that, the film which Ranaut has made has been in the works for several years, much before she became the BJP MP, and the party has nothing to do with it. Regarding Bhindranwale talking about Khalistan, it is something which only the producer and director of the film can answer,” he added.

Emergency releases on the big screens on September 6, 2024. Stay tuned to OTTplay for more information on this and everything else from the world of streaming and films.

Also read: Emergency poster OUT – Know what's special about Kangana Ranaut’s political drama and its release date

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