M A I N   N E W S

‘Jo Bole So Nihal’ withdrawn from
Punjab, Delhi theatres
Varinder Walia
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, May 19
The liquor baron and main distributor of the controversial Hindi film, “Jo Bole So Nihal” has withdrawn the movie from Punjab and New Delhi with immediate effect following a report of an SGPC panel, which has sought change in the film title and deletion of certain objectionable scenes.

Talking to TNS on the telephone today, Mr Chadha said he had taken this step as a ‘humble Sikh’. He, however, said the film had been released following a ‘clean chit’ by the panel constituted by Akal Takht. But in accordance with the recommendations of the SGPC panel, he had withdrawn the movie.

Notices had been pasted on all cinema halls where the picture was being screened. Mr Ponty Chadha had withdrawn the film from Amritsar theatres yesterday.

Mr Chadha said as a true Sikh, he could not think of hurting the sentiments of his community. He would suffer a loss of more than Rs 1 crore on account of withdrawing the film from Punjab and New Delhi theatres. Asked whether it was part of a ‘conspiracy’ to raise objections against the film though it was cleared by the Akal Takht panel, he said he did not want to embroil himself in a controversy.

He said he had withdrawn the film even as he was convinced that there were hardly any ‘objectionable’ scene in the film. He said he himself had seen the movie and ensured that Akal Takht, the supreme temporal body of the Sikhs passed it before the premier show. Sikhism and its tenets were dearer to him and hence he did not care about the financial loss.

A Sikh conclave held at Akal Takht recently had announced it would stop the screening of the film from May 20.

It is reliably learnt that the film may be released after changing its title and deleting “objectionable” scenes.

With the report submitted by the SGPC panel, objecting to the title and other scenes which “distorted” ‘Gurbani’, the position of the Jathedar of Akal Takht has been lowered, he had given a ‘clean chit’ to the film.

It is believed that some heads may roll for the ‘dubious role’ played by them. The contents of both reports (the SGPC’s and Akal Takht’s) are poles apart.

The role of Mr Prithipal Singh Sandhu, non-official personal assistant to the Jathedar, has come under a scanner. The recording of a conversation between Mr Sandhu and one Mr Amarjit Singh of Ludhiana clearly shows that the former was involved in ensuring a ‘clean chit’ to the film.

Though Mr Sandhu was not a member of the panel constituted by the Jathedar, he had gone to Mumbai for the same.