After Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh’s MSG, a new film titled Nanak Shah Fakir has enraged the Sikh community

The film based on the life and teachings of Guru Nanak was scheduled to hit theatres across the country on April 17th. The Punjab government had banned the film for two months earlier and now Chandigarh too has followed suit as a reaction to the widespread resentment against it among the Sikh community.

Protesters are up in arms against the makers of the film and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has objected to the personification of Sikh Gurus in the film. According to tenets of Sikhism even an animated representation of Sikh Gurus can not be created. However, the film’s producer Harinder Singh Sikka begs to differ.

The film has released in New Zealand and people have liked it. People who are protesting must see the film, they won’t have any objection I can bet it. Sikhism doesn’t teach you fundamentalism, Sikhism means service before self. What some people are doing is a self before service and they are trying to make Guru Sahib their personal intellectual property. And to make things clear in the film Guru Nanak has been portrayed through computer graphics and that too from the back
– Harinder Sikka, Producer of Nanak Shah Fakir

The film’s Mumbai premiere was attended by Bollywood biggies like AR Rahman & Sanjay Khan along with the cast and crew of the film on Thursday.

The central body of Mumbai based Sikhs have appealed to their community at large to boycott the film. The message is being reiterated through various Gurdwaras in the city, though the film’s producer is trying to convince them otherwise:

I am willing to screen a special show for people who have a problem with the film. They should see it and then take a decision. How can you decide that the people will have a problem with the content of the film when you have not even seen the film
– Harinder Sikka, Producer of Nanak Shah Fakir