Ban on film Sadda Haq : Five things you need to know

Sadda Haq, a Punjabi historical drama movie based in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, has run into trouble after it was banned by the Haryana, Delhi and Chandigarh state governments after the Punjab government. The film’s troubles don’t seem to be close to ending any time soon, with Supreme Court refusing to hear the producers’ plea to lift the ban. While the film’s release has been postponed indefinitely, the ban on the film has become a hot topic of discussion. Here are the five things that you need to know about the film: [caption id=“attachment_696623” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  A poster of Sadda Haq[/caption] 1: The film’s central story is based around Kartaar Singh, a hockey player who decides to fight against the corruption in the police and government. According to producer Kuljinder Sidhu, who also plays the lead role, the film is based on the dark days of militancy in Punjab. He said it was an attempt to portray what prompted young men in the state to choose to become militants. 2. The film been criticised for allegedly glorifying  the Khalistani movement and militant leaders like Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. It is due to these allegations that the film has been banned not only in Punjab but also Haryana, Delhi and Chandigarh. 3. Indian Express reported that despite the ban, the film is being promoted and distributed in Canada by Canadian Sikh Coalition — a pro-Khalistani group. 4. According to media reports, the filmmakers, who had moved the court earlier for the ban to be lifted, have now written to the Akal Takht, the highest body in the Sikh community, to get the ban revoked. 5. The team of the film has contended that after the censor board had cleared it, the states have no right to ban it. They termed the ban on film as “unjustified” and claimed SGPC, the top sikh religious body, too had given a green signal to the movie. However, former top cop KPS Gill backed the government’s decision to ban the film.