NEW DELHI—The Indian censor board has refused release of lyricist and singer Raj Kakra’s debut Punjabi movie “Kaum de heere” which is based on the lives of Sikh martyrs Bhai Beant Singh, Bhai Satwant Singh, and Bhai Kehar Singh who had avenged the attack on Sri Darbar Sahib by assassinating Indira Gandhi, the then Indian prime minister. The film is set to be released on February 28, 2014 globally.
The film shows the attack on the holiest Sikh shrine at Sri Amritsar Sahib, the assassination of Indira Gandhi who ordered the attack, and the martyrdom of Bhai Beant Singh, Bhai Satwant Singh, and Bhai Kehar Singh. It is based entirely on true events during the Sikh freedom struggle in Punjab.
The Censor board has put the trio of Sikh heroes in the category of murderers. The board also questions why the film did not show the reasons behind the attack and genocide? Answering this question, Ravinder Ravi, director of the film, held that the censor board is a part of the government and this question should be asked to it. He asked the government to tell why it chose a Sikh holiday to attack Sri Darbar Sahib.
“When film on Nathu Ram Godse, assassin of Mohan Das Karam Chand Gandhi, could be passed, then why not that of assassins of Indira Gandhi?”, asked Ravi.
He said that he would take the next steps in response to the letter from the censor board after consulting his legal counsel. He also said that he would release the film abroad at first after getting approval from concerned authorities.
