Chief Minister of Punjab Captain Amarinder Singh has ordered a ban on the movie Shooter, which is based on the life and crimes of gangster Sukha Kahlwan, alleging that the film promotes violence, heinous crimes, extortion, threats, and criminal intimidation.
The CM has also directed DGP Dinkar Gupta to look into any action that can be taken against one of the film’s producers, KV Dhillon, who had reportedly promised in writing, back in 2019, that he would shelve the film which was originally titled Sukha Khalwan.
The DGP has also been asked to look into the role of the promoters, directors, and actors of the movie, a government statement said.
The statement also added that Amarinder has made it clear that his government will not allow any movies, songs that seek to promote crime and violence. “In the past three years, the Captain Amarinder-led government has come a long way in the past three years to restore Punjab’s law and order, which had hit a new low under the previous SAD-BJP regime, “ the statement said adding that the CM has directed the police to ensure that nothing is allowed to disturb the states’ peace and communal harmony.
According to a report by ANI, the DGP has disclosed that the matter of banning this movie had been discussed with the Chief Minister on 7 February. ADGP Intelligence Varinder Kumar had also recommended a ban on the movie, whose trailer, released on January 18, suggested that the film was highly radical.
Keeping in mind the repercussions of Shooter on the youth “it would be appropriate if the release and screening of the movie be banned in the state of Punjab,” the ADGP had stated in a letter to Addl Chief Secretary to Government of Punjab, Department of Home Affairs & Justice.
Earlier, the producer had given his commitment after the Mohali police received a complaint. In his letter, Dhillon had written to SSP Mohali that “since you are of the opinion that the content of the film may hurt law and order situation, I am discontinuing the film project.” But instead of abandoning the project, the producers evidently went ahead with the film, which was now scheduled for release on 21 February under a changed title and a new name for its leading protagonist, according to the DGP.
The decision to ban the movie comes less than 10 days after the Mansa Police registered a case against Punjabi singers Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu (Sidhu Moose Wala) and Mankirat Aulakh for propagating violence and crime through a video clip uploaded on social media.
Kahlwan, who described himself as “sharpshooter”, had faced more than 20 cases, including those pertaining to murder, kidnapping and extortion. He was shot dead by gangster Vicky Gounder and his accomplices on 22 January, 2015, while he was being brought back to Patiala Jail after a court hearing in Jalandhar.
(Inputs: ANI)
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