SC Refuses Urgent Hearing Of SGPC's Plea Seeking Stay On Release of Hindi Film Nanak Shah Fakir

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and Delhi Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee on Thursday moved the Supreme Court seeking vacation of its earlier order for release of the controversial Hindi film Nanak Shah Fakir.

Appearing for the SGPC, advocate Satyender Singh Gulati mentioned before Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra-led bench for urgent hearing of matter since the movie is to be released nationwide tomorrow.

The court said: “Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) under the Cinematographer Act has granted issued certificate and outsiders can’t interfere into it” and refused to hear the matter today or tomorrow.

The bench, however, agreed to hear it on Monday.

SGPC counsel argued that “the Sikh body is a statutory body and passed a resolution in 2003 that no one was allowed to depict the role of any Sikh Guru or their family members”.

Since April 2015, the movie was in controversy and on April 10, the court allowed for release of the film in theatres.

The bench had allowed producer Vice-Admiral Harinder Singh Sikka’s plea for a direction to all the state governments and Centre to ensure that the law and order is mail when the film is released.

“Once CBFC certificate is granted, unless nullified by superior authority, the producer has every right to exhibit the film in the movie halls,” the court said.

The actor Akshay Kumar-starrer movie got into the controversy after some religious organizations had raised voice against the content of the film.

In April 2015, Sikka had announced to withdraw the movie from cinema halls across the country and globe. He had assured that required changes as suggested by Akal Takht chief would be made in the film before its re-release.

According to the petitioner, necessary changes were made following suggestions by an expert committee. The same was accepted by CBFC and certificate was granted last month for release but due to opposition by some section of the community, the SGPC withdrew its support extended for the release of the film.

It was alleged that the film had violated the Sikh maryada by portraying Guru and family members in human form.

According to the petition, the film was screened at Cannes Film Festival in May 2014 and in November same year at Sikh Lens, Arts and Film Festival in California and has sparked a controversy due to its alleged objectionable contents related to the portrayal of the Sikh Guru and his family.