Sadda Haq re-released in Chandigarh

After the ban imposed by the Punjab government on the film on April 5,the producers had moved the Supreme Court and made history by winning the petition.

Resonating beats of the dhol,energetic displays of bhangra,jubilant victory calls of waheguru ji ki khalsa,waheguru ji ki fateh – the first days first show of the controversial Punjabi film Sadda Haq saw all these and a full house in theatres,starting with sold-out shows at Piccadilly Square in Sector 34.

After the ban imposed by the Punjab government on the film on April 5,the producers had moved the Supreme Court and made history by winning the petition. Also,for the first time,a Punjabi film has been given an A Certificate.

The film was re-released in Punjab,Delhi,Haryana,Jammu and Chandigarh this Friday. Directed by Mandeep Benipal,the film stars Kuljinder Singh Sidhu,Gaurav Kakkar,Nidhi Sidhu,Dhriti Sharan,Parmod Moutho among others. Based on terrorism in the eighties and nineties in Punjab,Sadda Haq throws light on this dark period of the state.

The story of Sadda Haq narrates the journey of terrorists Jagtar Singh Hawara and Balwant Singh Rajoana,their jail break and the assassination of Chief Minister Beant Singh. However,it also tries to present the both sides of the coin – the terrorists point of view and the polices orders to wipe out terriorism at all costs.

The story unfolds when a research student from Canada (Sharan) interviews the protagonist Kartar Singh (played by Sidhu) locked behind bars for her thesis. Through their conversations and flashbacks,the student tries to piece together the events and the reason they took place.

There are conflicting ideologies,for while Kartar speaks about police insensitivity,the lack of governments apathy and justice denied,the keepers of the system defend it with their call of duty and how terrorists too vandalised and killed innocent families. Overall,the film does not excel in the department of sharp editing or cinematography,but it makes up for it in music and story.

The major edit is pixellating the face of home minister of the state in the film. The speech at the end too was re-shot,and changed to that of a more pro-active government that is for,by and of the people,and propounds freedom,democracy and equality.

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Meanwhile,the controversy,the ban and the hype trailing the film has worked in its favour and acted as a major crowd puller.

Students,youngsters and families thronged the cinemas. A group of 20 boys from Mohali and Kharar made it for the first show. We are a generation looking for answers,and our parents have been through this. I am happy that Punjabi cinema has got one film that is different,not a mindless romcom, say Omkar and Narinder Singh.

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