Theatres reluctant to screen 'Sadda Haq'

[Azaad]

The miseries of the producers of controversial Punjabi film ‘Sadda Haq’ appear to be unending. After fighting a long legal battle for its release in Punjab, the movie again faces uncertainty as several single-screen and private theatre owners in several districts have allegedly refused to screen it. The move, the producers alleged, had come under pressure from the local administration and the Police Department.

In a fix over the latest problem, the film’s producers, Kuljinder Singh Sidhu and Dinesh Sood, have blamed the local administrations of a few cities for allegedly threatening cinema owners against screening the movie.

The producers said though multiplexes had tied up with them for the movie’s release, theatre owners in Patiala, Ropar, Ludhiana and Nawanshahr were showing reluctance.

“They do not want to mess up with the powers that be because of one movie. Therefore, they have politely conveyed it to us that they are helpless,” they said.

Sidhu, who plays the lead role, said: “I am disappointed at the turn of events. Bollywood has also made several movies on similar lines in the past. Why is so much fuss only about Sadda Haq?” he asked.

The district administration and theatre owners in Patiala, however, have refuted the allegations. Patiala Deputy Commissioner GK Singh said no one from the district administration had spoken to the movie’s team or theatre owners. “The allegations are baseless and if at all someone has tried to threaten them, they should come out with the details and we will take action against the guilty,” he added.

A theatre owner, Harjinder Singh, said they were not running the movie only because they had already tied up with distributors of other films.

[LegalSingh]

There is a solution, but the solution will not suit the producer / director / actors of the movie who see it more as a commercial enterprise than the rest of us do. Sikhs need to go from village to village across Punjab with a roving mobile makeshift cinema, showing the movie freely to all. In fact, Sikh groups in the UK, Canada and America etc could organise this quite easily and cheaply. But, like I said, I don't think the makers of the film would allow it.

[JSinghnz]

There is a solution, but the solution will not suit the producer / director / actors of the movie who see it more as a commercial enterprise than the rest of us do. Sikhs need to go from village to village across Punjab with a roving mobile makeshift cinema, showing the movie freely to all. In fact, Sikh groups in the UK, Canada and America etc could organise this quite easily and cheaply. But, like I said, I don't think the makers of the film would allow it.

The "producer / director /" have spent huge amounts of money and time to make this movie. They deserve to recover their costs.

[lsingh]

The "producer / director /" have spent huge amounts of money and time to make this movie. They deserve to recover their costs.

Yes the makers of Sadda Haq should make as much money out of this film so that they can fund further films. Its the first time that film has been made that actually teels you what happened in 1984, nobody else has been willing to spend this much on a film in the last 30 years. Our community will make big statements but rarely follow up with large financial contributions. The price of ticket is probably less than the average Punjabi spends on whiskey or women on clothes.