No show to Nanak Shah Fakir in Chandigarh & Panchkula

After Punjab government’s decision not to screen

Nanak Shah Fakir

in the state, “as decided by the filmmaker,” Chandigarh and Panchkula followed suit and did not screen it in the respective cities. In the wake of producer

Harinder Sikka

being excommunicated from Sikh Panth by

Akal Takht

on Thursday evening, the issue has taken an even more severe turn. Though Sikka remained unavailable for comment on his excommunication, it is learnt that the decision to withhold the film’s screening in Chandigarh and Panchkula was not that of Sikka. “The film’s rights had already been sold. Hence, whether to screen it in Chandigarh and Haryana or not, could not have been his (Sikka’s) decision,” said a source.

Till the time of going to press, there was no official order from Chandigarh administration on banning the film’s screening in the city. Said Rajeev Sharma, additional deputy commissioner, Chandigarh, “So far, we haven’t issued any instruction on not screening the film in city. We have sought a report from police on the law and order situation. We will decide and act thereafter, and accordingly.” However, since cinema halls had already decided against screening the film in the city, the administration did not feel the need for making any order.

On account of anonymity, one multiplex manager in Panchkula cited being approached by a group of people against screening the film. “This group said that we are not supposed to screen the film, since it has been banned. In fact, they even said they had assurance from authorities that the film won’t be screened in this theatre,” said the Panchkula theatre manager.

Other Chandigarh based theatres were unsure about whether they are screening the film or not, till late in the evening.