Controversy surrounding the upcoming film ‘Nanak Shah Fakir’ (NSF) fails to die down, with activists of the Jatha Neeliyan Faujan, a radical Sikh organisation, staging a protest against the film outside the Golden Temple on Thursday.
The organisation was demanding immediate ban on the film, while accusing the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and the Akal Takht jathedar of being under political pressure. They also questioned the SGPC authorities on the release of ‘Chaar Sahebzade (a recent film by Harry Baweja) when it had a pictorial portrayal of Guru Gobind Singh.
The activists also handed over a memorandum demanding ban on the movie to Akal Takht jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh.
The organisation opposed to Nanak Shah Fakir, as it believes the personification of Sikh Gurus by human actor or depiction through animation, portraits or computer graphics was prohibited under the Sikh tenets. They urged the Akal Takht to seize the prints of the movie.
Divulging detail of their meeting with the Akal Takht jathedar, the activists claimed that the jathedar had assured our delegation that they would not allow the movie to release. “During the interaction, we felt that even jathedar was against human portrayal of Guru Nanak Dev and his family members, which is in violation of the Sikh tenets. But, we also felt that he was under political pressure,” said Harjinder Singh, who led the delegation on Thursday.
The delegation claimed that during the meeting they also questioned the jathedar on why the pictorial portrayal of the Guru in movie ‘Chaar Sahebzade’ was allowed and why different sets of rules were followed in clearing of the films. The jathedar said he had already written to filmmaker Harry Baweja on the matter, he said.
{{/usCountry}}The delegation claimed that during the meeting they also questioned the jathedar on why the pictorial portrayal of the Guru in movie ‘Chaar Sahebzade’ was allowed and why different sets of rules were followed in clearing of the films. The jathedar said he had already written to filmmaker Harry Baweja on the matter, he said.
{{/usCountry}}“We told the jathedar that NSF was a result of their permission to Chaar Sahebzade. On which, the jathedar confessed that ‘galti ho gai’ (it was a mistake),” claimed Harjinder.
The agitators slammed NSF maker Harinder Sikka for showing insensitivity towards the Sikh faith and placards stated: “Film Nanak Shah Fakir is a road to hell and producer Sikka has committed a sin.”