Akal Takht has announced its intention to officially prohibit any representation of Sikh weddings on the screen. Nihangs temporarily prevented the shooting of one such wedding sequence at Gharuan by force on June 9. A mock-up gurdwara was established by film makers revealingly causing an outcry.
Akal Takht Jathedar, Giani Raghbir Singh, emphasized that the filming of such scenes, especially those involving the Anand Karaj ceremony, is unacceptable. “Filming of such fake weddings in the presence of Guru Granth Sahib is unacceptable. We have been receiving complaints that makers of movies and TV serials are showing such scenes. The incident at Gharuan village has hurt Sikh sentiments,” he stated. He also warned that legal action would be taken against those who disregard the ban.
Several regulations on movie-making and marketing at the Golden Temple complex have already been put in place by the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC). This was after an uproar erupted following the performance of yoga by a social media influencer at the Sikh place of worship on June 21, following orders from the Akal Takht Jathedar. The incident which violated Sikh “Maryada” was widely criticized thus prompting an FIR against the popular social media influencer for allegedly offending religious sentiments.
Harjinder Singh Dhami, who is the main leader of the SGPC asserted that the traditions and principles of Sikhism ought to be respected at all costs. He further said “No one can go against the principles and the living fundamental elements of Sikhism. The matter will be probed and necessary legal action will be taken against the guilty,” he said. The SGPC plans to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident at Gharuan and report their findings to initiate appropriate legal proceedings against the filmmakers involved.
The Akal Takht Jathedar highlighted additional concerns about the creation of fake gurdwara sets for filming purposes. He cited instances where actors were seen smoking during the shoot in Gharuan village, an act considered deeply disrespectful to Sikh traditions. “Even creating a fake gurdwara set for a movie is against Sikh traditions. Actors were seen smoking during the shooting at Gharuan village. It is unacceptable. A report will be sought on the entire incident, and the SGPC will be told to initiate legal action against the filmmakers,” he added.
The Sikh clergy is scheduled to meet on July 15 to formalize the ban and discuss further measures to protect the sanctity of Sikh religious practices from being misrepresented or disrespected in the media. This decision marks a significant step in preserving the integrity and authenticity of Sikh cultural and religious practices in contemporary media portrayals.
