Patiala/Ludhiana, Punjab (May 09, 2013): As per media reports the miseries of the producers of much awaited Punjabi movie ‘Sadda Haq’ appear to be unending.
According to a news report by The Tribune: “[a]fter fighting a long legal battle for its release in Punjab, the movie again faces uncertainty as several single-screen and private theatre owners in several districts have allegedly refused to screen it. The move, the producers alleged, had come under pressure from the local administration and the Police Department”.
“In a fix over the latest problem, the film’s producers, Kuljinder Singh Sidhu and Dinesh Sood, have blamed the local administrations of a few cities for allegedly threatening cinema owners against screening the movie”, the news reads furhter.
The producers said though multiplexes had tied up with them for the movie’s release, theatre owners in Patiala, Ropar, Ludhiana and Nawanshahr were showing reluctance.
“They do not want to mess up with the powers that be because of one movie. Therefore, they have politely conveyed it to us that they are helpless,” they said.
Kuljinder Sidhu, who plays the lead role, reportedly said: “I am disappointed at the turn of events. Bollywood has also made several movies on similar lines in the past. Why is so much fuss only about Sadda Haq?” he asked.
As per The Tribune news report the district administration and theatre owners in Patiala, however, have refuted the allegations.
It is notable that Sadda Haq movie is based on events of post-1984 to mid-1990s in Punjab. The film depicts the untold story to the painful periods of Punjab when enforced disappearances, fake encounters and other forms of Crimes against humanity were being widespread as Indian security forces, including Punjab police had unleashed the region of state terror against the families of Sikh militants, as well as other civilian Sikh population of Punjab.
It is worth mentioning that the movie was set to be released in Punjab on April 05 when the Punjab government imposed last minute ban on the movie. This ban was handiwork of high-ups in Punjab police who watched the movie at Punjab Bhawan on April 04 and pressed the government to ban it before release.
The movie was cleared for release by Supreme Court of India on April 27, 2013. Now the police is reportedly creating indirect problems for the producers of the movie.