CHANDIGARH: The Punjab government has put a ban on the Punjabi film 'Shooter' for allegedly glorifying dreaded gangster Sukha Kahlwan who was charged in more than twenty cases.
The Punjab Police also registered a case against producer and promoter of the film KV Singh Dhillon and others for promoting violence, heinous crimes, gangsterism, drugs extortion, threats and criminal intimidation. The cases have been registered under sections 153, 153A, 153B, 160, 107, 505 IPC, at SSOC Mohali. The FIR said the movie is likely to instigate youngsters to take up arms, and disturb peace and harmony.
The film's trailer has already received over 70 lakh views on YouTube.
This slain gangster was facing cases of murder, kidnapping and extortion, before he was killed by another gangster Vicky Gounder on January 22, 2015, while he was being brought back to Patiala Central Jail after a court hearing in Jalandhar.
This is not for the first time that a movie on a gangster is being produced in the state. Earlier, a Punjabi films glorifying slain gangster Rupinder Gandhi was released.
In a letter written by Additional DGP (Intelligence) Varinder Kumar to Additional Chief Secretary (Home Affairs and Justice), Punjab Satish Chandra it was stated that it would be appropriate if the release and screening of the movie be banned in the state.
Earlier the Punjab Police had also received a complaint about this movie glorying the gangster. Following which the producer of the film KV Dhillon in a letter to Senior Superintendent of Police of Mohali had stated that since the police is of the opinion that the content of the film may hurt law and order situation, he will be discontinuing this film project.
Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has directed Punjab DGP Dinkar Gupta to look into the possible action that could be initiated against one of the film’s producers, KV Dhillon who had reportedly promised in writing, back in 2019, that he would shelve the movie originally titled 'Sukha Khalwan'.
Gupta has also been asked to look into the role of the promoters, directors and actors of the movie.
Meanwhile, Gupta said that the issue of banning the film was also raised at a meeting with the Chief Minister on Friday, along with a proposal from Additional DGP Intelligence Varinder Kumar recommending a ban on the movie whose trailer released on January 18, suggested that the film was highly radical.
"But instead of abandoning the project, the producers evidently went ahead with the film, which was now scheduled for release on February 21 under the new title with a new name for its leading protagonist,’’ said Gupta.
Earlier, HC Arora a lawyer in Punjab and Haryana High Court had written a letter to the state government seeking a ban on the film.
The decision to ban the film comes a week after Punjab 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.