Zee Media Bureau
New Delhi: Amidst hullabaloo over the content of the movie 'Kaum De Heere', the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Thursday announced that the Punjabi-language movie on former prime minister Indira Gandhi's assassination will not be released on Friday.
Earlier in the day, the Home Ministry had expressed reservation and serious concern over the contents of the film and had asked the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to take a relook at the clearance given to it.
In a communication to the I&B Ministry, the Home Ministry had said that the film may affect the communal harmony in Punjab and other northern states.
The ministry had also noted that some of the content of the film was "highly objectionable" and may create enmity between communities and lead to communal tension.
According to sources, the film, which is reportedly based on the lives of the assassins of the late prime minister -- Beant Singh, Satwant Singh and Kehar Singh -- glorifies their act.
There have been reports that Censor Board CEO Rakesh Kumar, who was arrested recently by CBI on corruption charges, gave clearance to the film after allegedly taking a bribe of Rs 1 lakh.
Also Read: Controversial film 'Kaum De Heere' paid bribe to get censor certificate
The Punjab units of Congress and BJP have demanded a ban on the controversial film.
The film's producer, Pardeep Bansal, has said that the film is based on true incidents, as per the findings of the Justice Thakkar Commission which had probed the assassination of Gandhi.
"It is a completely balanced film wherein no religion or sect has been belittled. Some people are unnecessarily trying to create a controversy without watching the movie," he has said.
The Censor Board passed the film with an 'A' certificate and it was scheduled to be released tomorrow in more than 100 cinema halls in north India.
Meanwhile, the makers of 'Kaum De Heere' have denied
reports that they bribed the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) CEO for clearing the film.
Satish Katiyal, one of the producers of the film, said he will take legal action against those who are spreading such rumours as they are completely baseless.
"False and baseless rumours are being spread against the film. We did not pay any bribe to get the film cleared by Censor Board," Katiyal told a news agency over the phone.
"The censor's advisory committee watched the film thrice before clearing it and every time I paid the requisite fee. Those who paid bribes got their films cleared on time while it took six months for us to get the clearance certificate."
"I had applied to the board for clearance in January and only recently got a certificate," he added.
Indira Gandhi was shot dead by her two Sikh bodyguards at her official residence in New Delhi on October 31, 1984.
(With PTI inputs)
First Published: Thursday, August 21, 2014, 17:27
