Kangana Ranaut's highly anticipated directorial debut, Emergency, hit theatres on January 17, Friday, but it faced immediate opposition in Punjab. Members of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) staged protests outside multiple theatres, calling for a state-wide ban on the film.
Visuals from Amritsar and Patiala show a significant police presence outside cinema halls to maintain law and order. As tensions rose, screenings of Emergency were cancelled in several theatres across the state. Speaking to ANI, Baljinder Singh Aulakh, SHO of Amritsar, said, "Security has been heightened here after the SGPC's urge to stop the screening of the film Emergency. We also contacted the cinema manager, who confirmed that there are no screenings planned. We are here to ensure law and order."
SGPC members claim the film portrays Sikhs in a negative light and distorts historical events, including those related to the Sikh religion and 1984. "Our protest is against the release of Emergency, which presents a distorted history of the Sikh community," one member stated. The SGPC had raised similar concerns when the film's teaser was released, but the movie proceeded with the Censor Board's approval. Criticizing the lack of action from authorities, another SGPC representative said, "We wrote to the Punjab CM, but there was no response. If screenings continue, protests will intensify, and the state government will be held accountable for any law-and-order issues. "Emergency stars Kangana Ranaut alongside Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Mahima Chaudhary, Milind Soman, and Vishak Nair in key roles.