Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy reportedly assured Sikh community leaders that the Telangana government would consider imposing a ban on the release of Kangana Ranaut’s film “Emergency” in the state, pending legal consultation.
A delegation from the Telangana Sikh Society, led by former IPS officer Tejdeep Kaur Menon, met with Advisor to the Telangana Government (SC, ST, OBC & Minorities) Mohammed Ali Shabbir at the Secretariat, urging a ban on the screening of “Emergency”. The delegation of 18 members submitted a representation, expressing their deep concerns over the film’s portrayal of the Sikh community.
The delegation alleged that the film depicts Sikhs as terrorists and anti-nationals, a portrayal they found offensive and damaging to the community’s image. The Sikh community, which makes up 2% of Telangana’s population and has a notable presence in India’s military and border security forces, is particularly distressed. The delegation highlighted that nearly 12% of the nation’s military forces comprise Sikhs, many of whom have sacrificed their lives in the line of duty to protect the country. They conveyed the anger, especially among the Sikh youth, over the film’s promotional material.
The Telangana Sikh Society voiced its concern over what it described as a distorted depiction of Sikhs in “Emergency,” a film directed and produced by Kangana Ranaut and set for release in early September.
“The pre-release trailers show the Sikh community in a disparaging manner, depicting them in a way that creates a negative narrative. This is highly objectionable,” Tejdeep Kaur Menon told Shabbir Ali during the meeting.
