Multiplexes and single screen theatres remained under security vigil following the release of Udta Punjab.
Multiplexes and single screen theatres remained under security vigil following the release of Udta Punjab. No untoward incident was reported from any part of Punjab, even as some people were detained by the police in Ludhiana, fearing that they could cause disruption to the movie.
Thirty Shiv Sena (Hindustan) activists were taken into preventive custody in Ludhiana for trying to forcibly enter a mall where it was being screened.
In Ludhiana, the leader of the activists Rajiv Tandon demanded that the film should be banned because it was “defaming” Punjab. The activists tried to forcibly enter Goverdan Mall in Ludhiana where the film was being screened. Heavy police force deployed there prevented them from entering.
The controversial movie which is about drug problem, a menace in Punjab is received with open arms in the state. There were reports of heavy advance bookings in major urban centres of Punjab like Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Bhatinda.
There were reports coming that movie is also being talked about in the villages of Majha (southern Punjab), the area worst affected by the drug menace in the state. “The controversy surrounding the movie has helped it to reach even further. People in the villages are surely talking about it and planning to watch it,” a farmer, Tajinder Singh from Bhatinda, said.
The movie was released after the Punjab and Haryana high court refused to stall the release of the movie, following a plea by a Punjab-based NGO saying that movie has shown the Punjabi culture in bad light and has glorified drug abuse.
The movie also had its share of political controversies in Punjab as the ruling Akali Dal accused the AAP of being involved in the making of the film as they charged that CEO of the Balaji films Sameer Nair is senior member of “AAP’s communication wing”. Punjab education minister and SAD secretary Daljeet Singh Cheema had said that the making of Udta Punjab was a deep-rooted conspiracy to defame Punjab and Punajbis.
However, Dugesh Pathak, organisation-building head of AAP feels otherwise, “Although I have not seen the movie, but whatever I hear from my colleagues and trends on social media, it looks like a good movie. No one has told me that Punjab or its culture is shown in darker shade”.
It is an open secret that there is clear nexus of politicians and police in Punjab for running drug trade”. As far as financing the movie is concerned “AAP finds it difficult to buy an office for itself forget about financing a 200 crore movie, its ridiculous, he added.
Box Shiromani Akali Dal today criticized piracy of any artistic work including feature films like Udta Punjab. In a statement here, party’s spokesperson and General Secretary Harcharan Bains said , “ we support the demand for an inquiry into the piracy of Film Udta Punjab and we consider it an abominable and shameful act. We fully stand by film industry whose tireless creativity and financial resources are sought to be laid waste byunethical acts like piracy. “
Mr Bains said that release of uncensored Udta Punjab needs to be seen in the background of claims by a political leader of Punjab that he would show the entire film in an uncensored form in villages of Punjab including Majitha. “Captain Amarinder Singh needs to come clean on the piracy of Udta Punjab. He , his Congress and AAP are the only ones who have been talking of showing this film uncensored to people. They owean explanation to film makers and viewers alike. “
Mr Bains said that the possibility of the film being pirated for political reasons by some unprincipled and unscrupulous political parties who want to grab power through hook or crook needs to be looked into. These parties are waging a war against Punjab’s imagewhile SAD and Punjab govt are waging a war on drugs.
