Punjabi cinema star Gippy Grewal has voiced his support for including a Sikh representative on the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), as Kangana Ranaut’s upcoming film ‘Emergency’ faces delays in receiving clearance from the board. Grewal emphasized the importance of having a Sikh member on the CBFC, particularly to ensure accurate representation of the Sikh community and its religious nuances in films.
In an interview with IndiaToday.in, Gippy emphasized the importance of having a Sikh member on the board, particularly to review films that depict the Sikh community and its religion. His remarks come shortly after the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) called for the inclusion of a Sikh representative in the censor board. While promoting his latest film ‘Ardaas Sarbat De Bhale Di’, which stars Jasmin Bhasin and Gurpreet Ghuggi and focuses on spirituality, Gippy shared his thoughts on the issue. The film, shot at Hazur Sahib, one of Sikhism’s most revered holy sites, holds deep religious significance.
Gippy pointed out that while the CBFC is capable of identifying general flaws in films, recognizing religious nuances requires someone with a deep understanding of the faith. He used his own experience as an example, explaining that before submitting ‘Ardaas’ for certification, he had the film screened by the Hazur Sahib management committee, who provided an NOC (No Objection Certificate). Only then did he submit it to the CBFC.
“Having a Sikh representation in the board is very important,” Gippy stated. “Jab ‘Ardaas’ bani, censor ke liye toh jani hi thi. Par vahan bhejne se pehle, humne ye film Hazur Sahib Prabhandhak Committee ko dikhayi. Censor vo cheezein dekhegi jo overall galat hai, par for religion perspective.” He added, “it is important for an expert member to see. Unhone hume NOC di, us NOC ko humne censor board ke paas attach kar ke bheja [We showed ‘Ardaas’ to the Hazur Sahib Prabhandhak Committee first and took an NOC from them before sending the film to the censor board. The board can check on the larger things, but it is important for an expert member to check the things from a religious perspective].”
He continued, “The actor added, “For those films, jinme Sikhism ka hai, community representation hai, Punjab ka representation hai, un filmon ke liye ye bahot zaroori hai. Like a lot of people shoot their films in Punjab, but they don’t know anything about Punjab [Having a Sikh representative in the board is important for films which talk about Sikhism, represent the community or represent the state of Punjab in any form].”
For the unversed, Kangana Ranaut’s directorial release Emergency has been postponed, reportedly due to rising controversies. The actor and Mandi Lok Sabha MP has said that the film’s approval was “stopped” because CBFC members got “threats.” A new release date hasn’t been set yet.
The controversy started brewing when Emergency trailer was released a few weeks ago. It showed Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, a Khalistan leader, promising to support Indira Gandhi’s party for a separate Sikh state. Irked by it, the Shiromani Akali Dal in Delhi then sent a legal notice to the CBFC, asking to stop the film because of its portrayal of Sikhs.
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