New Delhi: Kangana Ranaut’s film Emergency hit theatres today but was met with protests led by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee in Punjab.
In Amritsar, the protest unfolded at three major locations—PVR Suraj Chanda Tara Cinema, Trillium Mall, and Cinépolis Alpha One.
“She has sprinkled salt on the wounds of the Sikh community,” said an SGPC member in a video shared on the committee’s official X account.
SGPC members also raised “Kangana Ranaut Murdabad” slogans outside the theatres.
Emergency, a biographical political thriller, stars Ranaut as former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Directed and co-produced by Ranaut, the film also features Shreyas Talpade, Anupam Kher, and Mahima Chaudhry in key roles.
Sikh organisations, including the SGPC and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), have accused the film of “tarnishing” the image of Sikhs and “misrepresenting” historical events.
“They are once again conspiring against the Sikh community and challenging us to explain why we are still being peaceful,” said an SGPC member.
The committee also criticised the BJP and RSS for promoting Kangana Ranaut, granting her a parliament ticket despite her negative comments about the Sikh community, and farmers from Punjab and its culture.
“The Indian government should refrain from engaging in these dirty things. We, too, advocate for aman-shanti (peace),” said the SGPC representative.
Also read: SGPC demands ban on Kangana Ranaut’s ‘Emergency’ in Punjab, writes to CM Bhagwant Mann
Call for ban
At one of the cinemas in Amritsar, the SGPC revealed that only six tickets were sold for the morning show of Emergency. Upon their request, the theatre owner refunded those tickets. “The theatre owners are cooperating with us. We’ve also removed the film’s (promotional) boards from theaters,” an SGPC representative said.
The protests, they emphasised, will continue until the film is banned.
On the eve of Emergency’s release, SGPC sent a letter to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann urging him to ban the film in the state.
In the letter, SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami strongly objected to Emergency, warning that its release could incite “outrage and anger” among the Sikh community.
He called on the government to take responsibility and enforce a ban. The letter was also posted via SGPC’s X account.
Speaking to ThePrint, an SGPC spokesperson revealed that neither the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), the filmmaker, nor the government showed the committee the final version of the film.
“For us, the film remains the same as the one we reviewed before the CBFC demanded edits,” the spokesperson said. He also added that SGPC members will not be watching the movie in theatres.
(Edited by Ratan Priya)