04 December,2024 07:27 AM IST | Mumbai | Mohar Basu
Diljit Dosanjh in the film
The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) may be taking its time to clear director Honey Trehan's Punjab '95, but the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee's (SGPC) support for the Jaswant Singh Khalra biopic is only getting stronger. In October, mid-day had reported that the SGPC was to form a review panel to assess the biopic, after the Prasoon Joshi-led CBFC handed out over 100 changes that included rechristening the film, renaming Khalra's character and altering pivotal sequences (âA panel of Sikh scholars will review the film', Oct 19). A 10-member committee watched the Diljit Dosanjh-starrer in Chandigarh, in November. In the latest development, they have sent a letter to producer Ronnie Screwvala, reiterating that the film faithfully depicts the life and struggles of the human rights activist.
Trehan's directorial venture retells the journey of Khalra, who investigated the extrajudicial killings of Sikh youths during the 1984-1995 insurgency in Punjab. In the letter, the review committee, comprising legal experts and Sikh scholars, has emphasised that revisiting the dark chapters of Punjab's history is essential to honour the activist's legacy. The letter underlines that the biopic, in its unaltered form, is a powerful tool to shed light on these human rights abuses and must not be diluted. Gurcharan Singh Grewal, General Secretary, SGPC, tells mid-day, "A few days ago, we sent a letter to the producers to screen the film for [another set of] Sikh scholars. We will take the matter forward with the CBFC. I have watched the film and it doesn't target anyone at all. It shows the truth of Punjab in an unadulterated fashion. It's a heart-wrenching movie. When I watched it, I had tears in my eyes."
The makers are now hopeful that the review panel's endorsement will pave the way for an unedited release of the film that has been lying with the CBFC since 2022. The Akal Takht has also thrown its weight behind it.
