Censor declines to clear ‘Toofan Singh’

CHANDIGARH: The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has refused to clear Punjabi film ‘Toofan Singh’, which is based on the life of Jugraj Singh ‘Toofan’, Khalistani militant who was killed in an encounter at 19.

The film was about not only Toofan’s role in the Sikh separatist movement but also his self-styled “Robin Hood deeds”, co-producer Jarnail Singh said here on Friday. The CBFC, which watched the movie on July 2, said it glorified anti-national elements and the Khalistan movement. “We met board chairman Pahlaj Nihalani but he couldn’t help. We took the film to the revising committee,” said Jarnail Singh. “On July 15, eight of the 15-member revising committee also rejected the film. We will now move the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting tribunal.”

Produced by Royal Cine Arts, the film was shot in 16 months, mostly on sets recreating the Punjab of 1990s. “A lot of hard work and creativity has gone into it,” said UK-based producer Dilbagh Singh. The film is directed by Baghel Singh. Newcomer Ranjit Bawa plays the lead.

Toofan, born at a Sri Hargobindpur village in 1971, had joined the Khalistan Liberation Force. Many of his acts seen as humanitarian made him popular as a ‘good militant’. When he was killed in 1990, it is said that more than 1-lakh people, both Hindu and Sikh, gathered at his funeral and the entire stretch between Amritsar and Beas was blocked by the mourners.

FILM IS BASED ON THE LIFE OF JUGRAJ SINGH ‘TOOFAN’, KHALISTANI MILITANT WHO WAS KILLED IN ENCOUNTER WHEN HE WAS 19