Nanak Shah Fakir film

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Nanak Shah Fakir

Nanak Shah Fakir is a 2015 film on the life and teachings of the first Sikh guru, Guru Nanak Dev Ji.[1] In 2015, the film was originally stated to be directed by Sartaj Singh Pannu[1][2][3] but there are some issues raised regarding this recently (November 2017) in the Delhi High Court. The film includes the following stars Arif Zakaria, Puneet Sikka, Adil Hussain, Shraddha Kaul, Anurag Arora, Narendra Jha and Govind Pandey.

The film is the story of the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak, the first Guru of the Sikhs. It briefly covers his birth and early years, but focuses more on the journey he took with his friend and disciple Bhai Mardana (Arif Zakaria) to various parts of India to spread the divine message. It also briefly dwells into the family and social bonds of Nanak.

Controversy

The movie is facing criticism after release of trailers for depicting Guru Nanak in movie.[4] Sikh group Dal Khalsa warn against release of movie.[5] Damdami Taksal also submit memo to Akal Takht jathedar against film.:[6]

The movie has courted another controversy after Sartaj Singh Pannu of Nanak Shah Fakir has moved to Delhi High Court[7] against producers Harinder Singh Sikka and Oscar winning sound artiste Resul Pookutty. Sartaj singh Pannu, in his petition, reportedly maintained that he had worked on the project as the film director for over two years. However, he “was taken aback” after noticing Harinder Sikka’s name as director in the movie trailer.

Approval by Akal Takhat

Letter from Akal Takhat

On 22 January 2015, the Jathedar, Gurbachan Singh wrote to Harinder Singh the following:

"The file made by you on the life and teachings of Guru Nanak and sikh religion titled "Nanak Shah Fakir" is praise worthy, we congratulate you. his is a fine example of promotion of sikh faith.
May the almighty Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji bless you and grant you success in life and religious cause."


Reviews

After a lot of protests, the film has finally hit screens

Nanak Shah Fakir movie review: The Guru Nanak biopic is one of the most humbling experiences you’ll have

Harinder Singh Sikka’s maiden production venture, Nanak Shah Fakir has been attracting a lot of attention, and not the good reasons. The film which is a biopic of the Sikh Guru, Nanak Ji, is said to be blasphemous and is supposedly hurtful to the religious sentiments of the Sikh community. I just caught a show of the film, and as Sikh, I want to assure anyone in doubt that I’m, by no means, hurt.

What’s it about?

The film is the story of the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak Dev Ji. It briefly covers his birth and early years, but focuses more on the journey he took with his friend and disciple Mardana (Arif Zakaria) to various parts of India to spread the divine message. It also briefly dwells into the family and social bonds of Nanak.

What’s hot?

I have a lot to put down here, but let’s just start with the fact that it is the first ever story of a Sikh Guru to be captured on celluloid. I think that effort in itself earns a lot of brownie points. Next is the way the story is narrated by Mardana, the way he sees Nanak and things around them. The film is in tune with the religious tenets. Since idol worship is against Sikh beliefs, portraying a Guru in the human form is prohibited. Accommodating this tenet, the story does not show the face of Nanak even once at any point. Instead, with the use of high-end VFX, Nanak is either shown from behind or emerging from a ray of light as a silhouette or from behind a shear. And surprisingly that does not reduce the grandeur of the character instead makes it more mystic and heavenly. It’s not like other films where you need to see and relate to the character to like him or root for him. The story itself is so impactful that the characters merely become props. Of course, it helps to have brilliant actors like Arif Zakaria, Shraddha Kaul (Nanak’s mother), Adil Hussain and Tom Alter (Sultan) making the characters so believable. Arif and Adil, in particular have done a splendid job as Mardana and Rai Bahadur.

Coming to the music, each time a hymn would start playing I’d have goosebumps all over. The background score was every bit as soothing as it was mystical; Rabaab being the predominant instrument. Well with Oscar winner A R Rahman and Resul Pookutty, I don’t think there could be anything better than this. The best part about Nanak Shah Fakir is that it maintains the authenticity of the time it is set in. Be it the sets, the costumes or the language, everything is very fitting.

What’s not?

The major drawback of the film is that it tries to encompass a lot in a limited time. I felt like certain incidents that needed more attention weren’t done justice to, in order to incorporate more anecdotes. Like the tale of Nanak working at the government ration store where he was blamed of giving more ration to people than they paid for or the time when he first preaches. I feel these incidents required a little more elaboration. But again, for anyone who does not know the story of Nanak, will not really figure that out. Also since we are so accustomed to the 2-2.5-hour movies, this one seemed a bit longer.

What to do?

I met a Tamilian couple at the theatre who knew nothing about Guru Nanak but fell in love with his story. So I guess it’s not just a dream come true for those who’ve grown up listening to tales of Nanak but is also a story which was worth narrating and definitely worth watching. I, for one, have had an extremely humbling experience.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Star Rating


'Nanak Shah Fakir' review: Despite all the constraints, it is an effective and incredibly pristine film

'Nanak Shah Fakir' review: Despite all the constraints, it is an effective and incredibly pristine film

At a time when several innovative ideas are being used to appeal to the movie-goers, it is interesting to see how a few filmmakers are paying adequate attention to religious-themed movies, which still remains the untapped genre in Indian cinema.

Harinder Sikka's 'Nanak Shah Fakir', which revolves around the life and teachings of Guru Nanak that are narrated by loyal disciple Bhai Mardana (Arif Zakaria), may have been banned in a few parts in India for violating Sikh doctrine (it depicts the Guru in human form). But those who have watched it will agree that it offers several indelible episodes from Guru Nanak's travels and multiple thoughts that put forth the essence of 'Ek Onkar' - all making the experience of watching this film truly enriching.

What also makes it remarkable is the convincing manner in which it puts forth an in-depth presentation of Nanak's childhood, his philosophy and Udasi tours, in about 140 minutes.

Right from its very first frame - when we are introduced to Guru Nanak's birthplace Rai Bhoi Ki Talvaṇḍi (which is now referred to as Nankana Sahib) to a fantastic shot towards the end - when he recites 'Ek Onkar' in holy voice, the film keeps the audience engrossed. 'Nanak Shah Fakir' never pretends to be a drama. On the contrary, it comes across as a distinctively visual work of art that explains the Guru's preachings without letting the viewers get a glimpse of him. All that's shown is soft light that radiates from Guru Nanak's body and outlines it to maintain the sanctity.

The film succeeds in maintaining its piousness throughout with excellent background score, meaningful lyrics and sleek editing. It strikes a perfect balance between the Guru's personal life and his philosophy, especially the episodes that happened while he traveled to Varanasi, Jagannath Puri, Kamrup (Assam), Tibet, and how they resonated with the mood at that time. Each incident that happened during 25-year Udasis puts forth his teachings against the caste system, and for the equality of all humanity. The cinematography is gorgeous, and many of the performances are very real, especially that of Arif Zakaria. Arif is impressive as he plays Bhai Mardana, a Muslim fakir who belongs to a poor family of rebab players, and Guru Nanak's disciple and companion. Since the viewers don't get to see Guru Nanak, it is then only through Arif's reactions as Bhai Mardana that they understand Guru's thoughts at different situations. As the narrator of Guru's story, he is terrific.

Full credit goes to the makeup artistes who helped Arif's character grow from early 20s to late 70s, and make Tom Alter look the way you've never seen before. Tom is completely unrecognizable as the puffed up king Daulat Khan. Keeping aside the controversy, the film offers a genuinely religious experience. It's a pity that not everybody will get the chance to watch it at the theatres.

Ratings: 4/5


Do computer-generated images of Guru Nanak violate tenets of Sikhism

Does the Punjabi movie Nanak Shah Fakir contravene the convention that the Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, should not be portrayed by a human? And is that proscription actually sanctioned in the faith’s scriptures or by its traditions?

Sikh groups have called for a ban on the film, which is scheduled to be released on Friday, claiming that it clearly violates the precepts of their faith. “Our religion forbids this,” said Avtar Singh Makkar, the chief of the Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee, the elected body that is in charge of managing gurudwaras in Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh. On Friday, the SGPC wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Minister for Information and Broadcasting Arun Jaitley asking for a ban on the film. A petition by Ludhiana resident Satpal Singh making the same demand is expected to be heard by the High Court of Punjab and Haryana on Monday.

“The point is not whether we agree with the portrayal or not,” said Pritpal Singh, a 25-year old member of the Sikh Youth Front. “Ultimately, Sikhs will not tolerate our Gurus being copied by ordinary humans.”

That is precisely what the makers of Nanak Shah Fakir, directed by Harinder Sikka, claim to have avoided. The note that accompanies the film’s trailer on YouTube makes it a point to emphasise, “It is pertinent to mention here that keeping in line with the tradition, Guru Nanak has been portrayed through COMPUTER GRAPHICS only and that too from the back, amidst a ray of light.”

Animation unacceptable

But SGPC chief Makkar refused to buy that explanation. “Filmmakers think they can justify depicting Guru Nanak and other Gurus through animation,” he said. “Now Sikka is saying that he has used new technology and depicted Guru Nanak only raising his arms and blessing followers, but this is not a proper thing to do.”

He added, “Second, I want to ask him, what about depicting Guru Nanak's mother Tripta and sister in human form, is that permitted? Our religion forbids this.”

Nanak Shah Fakir isn’t the first film to use computer imagery to circumvent the prohibition on actors playing Sikh Gurus. Last year, Harry Baweja directed a 3D-animation film called Chaar Sahibzaade, about the bravery of the four sons of Guru Gobind Singh. The film proved to be a surprise hit. In its opening week alone, it reportedly earned more than Rs 3.5 crore in in India and Rs 2.3 crore internationally. The scale of its success is probably what prompted Sikka to make Nanak Shah Fakir, though he claims he will not benefit from the profits: he plans to donate them to langars, or community kitchens.

Like Baweja, Sikka also sought the blessings of Sikh elders for his film, and, according to the note on the YouTube trailer, “the film enjoys full support of Sri Akal Takht Sahib” ‒ the highest Sikh authority. Sikka claimed that the SGPC had suddenly changed its position on his film. The Mr Pannu said that he had shown the film to representatives of both the SGPC and the Akal Takht in December, before any public screenings had been held. He said that he had obtained their written consent, and had even incorporated changes they had suggested.

“Is it a fact or not that Makkar and his committee members saw the film and made me change the dialogue?” Sikka asked. “For instance, he asked me to add ‘Nanak’ to a few dialogues, which I did, at a considerable expense. Till date, they have not written to me pointing out what is it they now find objectionable.”

A flip-flop

Makkar said that he and other members of the SGPC's “screening committee” who watched the film were not satisfied with the manner in which the Guru and his family had been portrayed.

If Sikka’s contention is true, this would not be the first time that the SGPC's screening committee's has done a flip-flop. In 2013, the religious committee first extended its support for Sadda Haq, a film on the Punjab insurgency, but then backtracked and demanded a ban after Punjab's ruling-party Shiromani Akali Dal raised objections.

But more crucially, Nanak Shah Fakir's Mr Pannu contends that Sikhism does not actually proscribe actors portraying Gurus. He points to several precedents, including one of a play being performed at the Golden Temple in Amritsar.

“In 1970, a programme was enacted in Harminder Sahib titled Gagan Mein Thal, in which all members of the Guru Sahib's family were enacted by actors,” Sikka said. “The SGPC brought out a book on the occasion with details of actors.” In addition, in 1988, a sound-and-light show was conducted by the SGPC called Miti Dhund Jag Chandan Hua in which all the members of Guru Saheb's family were depicted by actors, Sikka said.

“If Darbar Sahib [the Golden Temple] can showcase Guru Nanak's family through actors not once by many times, and so can films such as Nanak Nam Jahaz Hai and Chaar Sahibzaade, then why oppose my film?” he asked. “A few hardliners cannot decide the fate of the entire Sikh community.”

A new convention

Delhi-based sociologist Patricia Uberoi, who has studied Sikh calendars over the decades, says that while it is clear that gurudwaras must not display statues of the Gurus, it is her understanding that the choice of whether to display images of these figures in homes is a personal matter. She suggests that the ambiguity about conventions in depicting the Gurus may be explained by the history and religion's geographical spread.

“In West Punjab, which is now in Pakistan, the Sikh population were a minority and some Sikhs went to the mosques,” she said. “Their understanding of this issue may be closer to the Islamic religious understanding. Maybe Sikhs brought up in that atmosphere have internalised that, and portraits made some people uncomfortable. But one thought it is not as strong as it used to be, especially so long after the Partition. I have never heard of family members of Gurus not being permitted to be depicted.”

For his part, Mr Sikka said he was going to exercise his freedom of expression, in defiance of the SGPC.

“Guru Nanak's teachings are universal – ik onkar: there is one god,” Sikka said. “He is worshipped by Sindhis, Multanis, Hindus, Muslims. No one religion can own property rights over him.”


External links

Videos

References

  1. ^ a b Nanak Shah Fakir, A new movie based on the life and teachings of Guru Nanak .17 February 2015
  2. ^ A biopic without a protagonist http://www.planetbollywood.com/displayArticle.php?id=n072214071029 Centist Retrieved 16 April 2015
  3. ^ Adil Hussain on Nanak Shah Fakir http://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/screen/adil-hussain-plays-real-life-character-acp-amod-kant-in-main-aur-charles/ Centist Retrieved 15 April 2015
  4. ^ Nanak Shah Fakir' is about spirituality not religion: Retrieved from The Times of India: Apr 7, 2015
  5. ^ Sikh radical groups warn against release of Nanak Shah Fakir: Retrieved from The Times of India: Apr 1, 2015
  6. ^ ‘Nanak Shah Fakir’: Dal Khalsa, Damdami Taksal submit memo to Akal Takht jathedar against film: Retrieved from Hindustan Times: Apr 05, 2015
  7. ^ OMP No. 1602 of 2014 – In the High Court of Delhi at New Delhi http://lobis.nic.in/ddir/dhc/SMD/judgement/21-05-2015/SMD22052015OMP16022014.pdf