SC says screening of film 'Nanak Shah Fakir' to continue

The Supreme Court today made clear that its interim order permitting the release of regional film 'Nanak Shah Fakir', based on the life of the first guru of the Sikhs, shall remain operational.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra said it will hear on May 8 the submission and the counter on behalf of the film producer and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the apex Sikh religious body, on the same.

The movie has already been released in the country, except in Punjab, senior advocate R S Suri, appearing for the producer, told the bench which also comprised Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud.

The bench said the fundamental issue was to see whether the life of Guru Nanak Dev has been portrayed in the right manner or not.

Senior advocate P S Patwalia, appearing for the SGPC, referred to the 2003 notification of the apex Sikh body that had categorically stated that no person can be allowed to portray the life of 10 Sikh gurus, their family members and the 'Panj Pyaras'.

The top court had on April 10 criticised SGPC, the apex religious body of the Sikhs, for imposing restrictions on the film 'Nanak Shah Fakir' and had cleared the decks for its nationwide release scheduled on April 13.