Canadian Sikh bodies against screening of controversial movie Nanak Shah Fakir

Ontario, Canada ,April 7, 2015: Around seventeen Sikh organisations of Canada have joined hand to oppose ‘blasphemous’ controversial movie titled ‘Nanak Shah Fakir’. These organisations held a public meeting and decided to approach Canadian authorities to prevent release of the controversial film in Canada.

Canadian Sikh bodies against screening of controversial movie Nanak Shah Fakir
Canadian Sikh bodies against screening of controversial movie Nanak Shah Fakir

These organisations said that the film is made in clear violation of established Sikh tenets as Guru Nanak Ji, the founder of the Sikh religion, was personified by the film-makers for making this movie. Personification of Sikh Guru Sahibs and other spiritual soles such as Bhai Mardana and Bebe Nanki Ji is prohibited as per established Sikh tenets.

A letter jointly written by seventeen Sikh organisations against screening of ‘Nanak Shah Fakir’ film in Canada reads as follows:

To,
Peel Regional Police
Cineplex Inc
Albion Cinemas
Ontario Film Review Board

Re: Film NANAK SHAH FAKIR disrespect Sikh Gurus.

It has been brought to our attention that the film “Nanak Shah Fakir” is set to release on April 17th 2015. This film has scenes that are disrespectful to the Sikh Gurus.

A Public meeting to discuss this matter was called and discussed that the film “Nanak Shah Fakir” is depicting the founder of the Sikh Faith Guru Nanak Sahib accompanied by his disciple and some of his family members in physical form.

This has never been done before in past 544 years and should not be done now and ever in future according to the Sikh Code of Conduct and Sikh Practices. No human being can play a role of Sikh Gurus on screen even if for the sake of a telling history.

We, the Ontario Sikhs and Gurudwara Council, Ontario Gurdwaras Committee and other Sikh Organizations (listed below) has decided that this film should not be screened in our theaters in Ontario.

Therefore, we ask for your assistance. We ask theater officials to immediately remove this film from its schedule immediately, and further to refrain from screening the film “Nanak Shah Fakir” in any theatre in Ontario.

We ask Ontario Film Review Board to decertify this film due to its defamatory and disrespectful nature.

We ask Peel Regional Police to maintain law and order, step in to stop this filming screening in theaters.

We are willing to discuss this matter further with the authorities.

Thank You,

1) Ontario Sikhs & Gurudwara Council

(Ranjit Singh Dulai 647-290-4704)
2) Ontario Gurudwaras Committee

(Amarjit Singh Mann 647-822-3608)
3) Shiromani Akali Dal Amritsar (Canada)

(Sukhminder Singh Hansra 905-455-9999)

4) United Front of Sikhs (Canada)

5) Seva Society of Ontario

6) Ontario Khalsa Darbar (Dixie Rd. Gurdwara)

7) Sri Guru Singh Sabha Malton Gurdwara Sahib

8) Sikh Spirtual Center (Rexdale)

9) Guru Nanak Mission Gurdwara Sahib

10) Sri Guru Nanak Sikh Center Brampton

11) Sikh Sangat Gurdwara (Regan Road Brampton)

12) GurSikh Sabha (Scarboro)

13) Ramgarhia Sikh Society (Rivalda Rd.)

14) Baba Budha Jee (Stoney Creek)

15) Shaheed Garh Gurdawar (Hamilton)

16) Sikh Heritage Centre

17) Shiromani Sikh Sangat Dunwin