'Akaal': The Unconquered Runs Into Rough Weather over Misrepresentation

Actor and musician Gippy Grewal's (Rupinder Singh Grewal) new movie Akaal: The Unconquered released 9 Apr. Based on the life of Sardar Akaal Singh, set in Panjab in the 1840s, the movie has sparked controversy and outrage among the members of the Sikh community. Sikh leader Baba Bakshish Singh has condemned the film for allegedly disrespecting Sikh values and hurting religious sentiments. He claims the movie depicts Sikh characters indulging in inappropriate and disrespectful actions like 'consuming alcohol, tobacco', and appearing with their hair cut. Singh stated that if the film intends to reflect the legacy of historical Sikh warriors like Hari Singh Nalwa or Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, then the responsibility falls on the filmmakers and actors to portray these figures with dignity, historical accuracy, and respect. Members of Sikh groups, including Nihangs (traditional Sikh warriors), staged demonstrations, entered multiplexes and demanded the immediate suspension of the film’s screening. Led by Pradeep Singh Ayali, president of Sikh Youth Power, the demonstrators raised slogans. Ayali said, 'Grewal has previously appeared in movies where he danced with women and portrayed characters far removed from Sikh ideals. Now, he is shown wearing Nihang attire, which is against the sanctity of our faith.' Similar demonstrations took place in other cities in Panjab. The accusation of misrepresentation of historical figures is ironic for Grewal. In September 2024, while commenting on the film Emergency, Grewal had called for the inclusion of a Sikh representative in the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to ensure accurate representation of the Sikh community in films. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) had also passed resolutions requesting a Sikh member on the board, but the SGPC claims their demands have fallen on ‘deaf ears’. While the CBFC is not in the control of the SGPC, it can certainly constitute its own committee that can vet films made by Sikhs so they do not run into rough weather (earlier coverage).