'Emergency' not screened in many places in Punjab

Kangana Ranaut's "Emergency" was not screened at cinemas in Punjab on Friday following state-wide protests by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and Sikh organisations against the movie with many politicians calling for a ban, which the actor termed as "harassment". The SGPC, an apex gurdwara body, and several Sikh organisations held demonstrations against the movie outside cinemas, multiplexes and malls across the state.

Ranaut, who has directed, written and produced the political drama, decried the demand for a ban on "Emergency" and said the film's restricted screenings in parts of Punjab is a "complete harassment of art and the artist". The film, which sees Ranaut playing the role of former prime minister Indira Gandhi, focuses on 21 months of Emergency from 1975 to 1977. The movie, in controversy over its censor certificate and allegations that it misrepresents the Sikh community, was released across the country on Friday after several delays.

Most cinemas in Ludhiana, Amritsar, Patiala, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur and Bathinda did not screen the movie. Police force was deployed outside the malls and cinemas in the state. In Amritsar, for instance, protesters including women were seen carrying black flags and placards saying "Emergency should be banned" and "Boycott Emergency movie". — PTI