’Yaariyan-2’song row: SGPC files police complaint against filmmakers for hurting Sikh sentiments

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee has taken a strong objection to actor Meezaan Jafri allegedly wearing a ‘kirpan’ (a symbol of Sikh faith) in a song, ‘Saure Ghar’, in the upcoming movie “Yaariyan-2”, and filed a police complaint against the filmmakers

Amritsar : The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee has taken a strong objection to actor Meezaan Jafri allegedly wearing a ‘kirpan’ (a symbol of Sikh faith) in a song, ‘Saure Ghar’, in the upcoming movie “Yaariyan-2”, and filed a police complaint against the filmmakers.

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee has taken a strong objection to actor Meezaan Jafri allegedly wearing a ‘kirpan’ (a symbol of Sikh faith) in a song, ‘Saure Ghar’, in the upcoming movie “Yaariyan-2”, and filed a police complaint against the filmmakers,

The apex gurdwara body secretary, Partap Singh, filed a complaint on with the Amritsar police commissioner on Tuesday.

SGPC (Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee) chief Harjinder Singh Dhami also warned of a legal action against the filmmakers if the “objectionable” video is not removed.

An SGPC spokesperson said the video of song released on the YouTube channel on August 27 shows a clean-shaven, non-Sikh actor wearing a ‘gatra’ and ‘kirpan’ -- Sikh symbols of faith --- which has hurt the sentiments of the Sikh community.

However, the film directors of the film claimed the actor is wearing a ‘khukri’ (a curved knife) and not a ‘kirpan’ and that they have no intention to offend or disrespect any religious beliefs.

Jathedar of the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs, Giani Raghbir Singh has also directed the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabhandak Committee (SGPC) to take a strict legal action in the matter.

“We raise our strong objection to these visuals filmed, published in ‘Saure Ghar’ song of ‘Yaariyan 2’ film directed by Radhika Rao & Vinay Sapru @SapruAndRao, as actor is seen wearing Sikh Kakaar (symbol of Sikh faith) ‘Kirpan’ in a highly objectionable manner which cannot be accepted,” the SGPC said on ‘X’, formerly Twitter.

“This has seriously hurt the religious sentiments of Sikh community across the globe. Only an initiated Sikh has the right to wear ‘kirpan’ as per Sikh code of conduct of Akal Takht and the right given by the Constitution,” it said.

SGPC in-charge (public relations) Harbhajan Singh Vakta said the gurdwara body also contacted TSeries regarding the matter. He said an official of the company, Rahul Dubey, said the TSeries might consider removing scenes that hurt the Sikh sentiments from the film.

The SGPC has also sought the intervention of the ministry of information and broadcasting, ministry of information technology and electronics, and Central Film Board of Certification, demanding immediate ban on this film and its song, said a SGPC spokesperson.

The directors of the film, Radhika Rao and Vinay Sapru, said they regret any misunderstanding. “We would like to address the concerns regarding the visuals in the song - ‘Saure Ghar’ from our recent film ‘Yaariyan 2’. We would like to clarify that the actor in the song is wearing a ‘khukri’ and not a ‘kirpan’. In fact the dialogues in the film make it explicitly clear that it is a khukri,” they said, adding their intention was not to offend any religious beliefs.

“We want to emphasise our deep respect for religious sentiments,” they added.

(With PTI inputs)