Sikh protests in UK over Kangana Ranaut’s ‘Emergency’ result in shows being cancelled
22 January 2025
Protests by a section of the Sikh community have led to the cancellation of screenings of Kangana Ranaut’s controversial film ‘Emergency’ in the UK.
The film, which faced challenges at India’s censor board and opened to a lukewarm response last weekend, has now seen cancellations in Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Feltham and Hounslow.
Videos circulating online show protesters halting screenings, chanting slogans, and engaging in clashes with viewers. Over the weekend, Sher-E-Punjab, a Sikh community group, announced on social media that Vue Cinemas had confirmed the cancellation of Emergency at select locations.
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The Sikh Press Association (Sikh PA) has strongly condemned the film, accusing it of promoting anti-Sikh propaganda.
In a statement, the organisation said, “The film is regarded as anti-Sikh Indian state propaganda for its portrayal of former PM Indira Gandhi’s role in the Sikh genocide. Gandhi, who initiated the Sikh genocide prior to her assassination by her Sikh bodyguards, is presented in a glorified light. The film’s release comes at a time when Sikh censorship and anti-Sikh narratives are aggressively pushed by India. Meanwhile, a biopic on the revered Shaheed Jaswant Singh Khalra, who exposed the genocide into the ’90s, has faced significant restrictions on its release.”