The decision was apparently prompted by protests by the Akali Dal members claiming the film was ‘defaming Punjab’. If this is true, it is tragic that the film is being curtailed so brutally just because it shows a mirror to certain harsh truths and could go on to be instrumental in bringing about a change for the better. It is sad that the censor bard or the FCAT doesn’t have the sensitivity to know the difference between a story being told for the sake of sensationalism, and a true account of an issue that is not only backed by solid research but is public knowledge in country.

Why have we become such a cowardly nation, refusing to see the obvious and opting to please anyone who chooses to get offended? Political correctness must not be allowed to mask the hard truths in our nation. Cinema is one of the few mediums that can be a major contributor in bringing about social change. If that medium is faced with an insensitive hurdle like this, there seems no hope left for the film industry and for the country.