Golden Temple May Turn Off-limits For Bollywood

[lovekhalistan]

This news is already under sikhsangat.com news menu bar. I am making this post so we can all add comments.

http://www.sikhsangat.org/news/publish/asi...wood12345.shtml

Ludhiana: Angered by the soaring list of film shootings at the Golden Temple, the most revered shrine of the Sikhs, priests have said the gurdwara could soon be put out of bounds for most of Bollywood.

The development comes days after Shah Rukh Khan shot for his film Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi at Harmandir Sahib.

"Everybody wants to shoot at the Golden Temple," an angry Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) president Avtar Singh Makkar complained on Wednesday. "They (the film crew) make it inconvenient for the devotees and just don’t care about maryada."

"We have decided to be more wary and circumspect in granting permission to film crews for shoots at the Golden Temple," said SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar. "Only those films or programmes that help the Sikh cause will be allowed to be shot inside the Harmandir Sahib," he added.

The SGPC's announcement on keeping the temple out of bounds for film crew has shocked Bollywood. Film-maker and cinematographer Manmohan Singh said, "How can they do that? There's only one Golden Temple and one can only go there and shoot. The SGPC needs to rethink this. At the most, it can frame guidelines for people like us."

Speaking to TOI from London, Vipul Shah, the maker of 'Namaste London', said, "It's a pious place and we respect the teachings of Sikhism. But there has to be some way out of this so that directors are allowed to shoot. The SGPC, though, can set guidelines. A committee can perhaps be set up to devise a strategy. Our purpose is to showcase the opulence of the temple, so that non-Sikhs also get to know about Punjabi culture."

On the complaint relating to maryada, he said, "There can be no compromises on that. Only those who provide an assurance that the shoot will take place in accordance with norms should be allowed," said director Madhur Bhandarkar.

While actor-turned-politician Dara Singh said the SGPC could perhaps have scripts read to them for approval, director Aaditya Bhatt said, "I was also planning to shoot at the Golden Temple. Let's see what happens now. The SGPC could make the process more stringent rather than imposing an outright ban."

The SGPC's reservations, which could derail the plans of a host of Bollywood directors intending to shoot at the picturesque gurdwara, may have been triggered by Raj Kanwar's Sadiyaan, starring Rekha and Rishi Kapoor, getting into the crosshairs of the priests. During the shooting of the film in March, the SGPC had taken exception to a scene in which the leading actress is shown feeding prasad to her co-star. Offended, the temple management had ordered the director to scrap the scene.

[Dukh Nivaran]

can they do this? I told my dad this and he simply laffed. Isnt the darbar sahib for evryone? not that I oppose the desicion or anythin its just i thort their not allowed...

[S1ngh]

Very good step.. all these bolly crap should not come to darbar sahib just to make movies. If movies are documentary and/or educational based then sure open all gates for them but bolly group should not use the grounds of darbar sahib for shooting any of their crap third class movie.

[Jai Tegang!]

The only cameras allowed inside Darbar sahib complex should be those used for broadcasting the daily programme. All of these movie shootings add no value to sikhi parchaar, simple as that. The sanctity of Darbar Sahib needs to be upheld.

Baba Gurbachan Singh ji would forbid his students from speaking anything other than Gurbani while in the parkarma of Darbar sahib. Hey would say, so much blood of our shaheeds has spilt to uphold the sanctity of this blessed place, giving it due respect is the duty of every sikh.

[pun9ab1]

The only cameras allowed inside Darbar sahib complex should be those used for broadcasting the daily programme. All of these movie shootings add no value to sikhi parchaar, simple as that. The sanctity of Darbar Sahib needs to be upheld.

Baba Gurbachan Singh ji would forbid his students from speaking anything other than Gurbani while in the parkarma of Darbar sahib. Hey would say, so much blood of our shaheeds has spilt to uphold the sanctity of this blessed place, giving it due respect is the duty of every sikh.

How baning films in Darbar Sahib help sanctity of Darbar Sahib?

We don't have proper parking for darbar sahib let alone a proper entrance to Darbar sahib but we complain about the film shootings in darbar sahib. I just wonder how incompetent is SPC that they can' even build these things and don't even get me started on the bathrooms.

I admit there need to be guidelines for shooting films in Darbar sahib but stopping people from shooting in darbar sahib is just absurd.

What about those tourists that come to darbar sahib they surely shoot videos.

[Sikhvibes.com]

The only cameras allowed inside Darbar sahib complex should be those used for broadcasting the daily programme. All of these movie shootings add no value to sikhi parchaar, simple as that. The sanctity of Darbar Sahib needs to be upheld.

Baba Gurbachan Singh ji would forbid his students from speaking anything other than Gurbani while in the parkarma of Darbar sahib. Hey would say, so much blood of our shaheeds has spilt to uphold the sanctity of this blessed place, giving it due respect is the duty of every sikh.

How baning films in Darbar Sahib help sanctity of Darbar Sahib?

We don't have proper parking for darbar sahib let alone a proper entrance to Darbar sahib but we complain about the film shootings in darbar sahib. I just wonder how incompetent is SPC that they can' even build these things and don't even get me started on the bathrooms.

I admit there need to be guidelines for shooting films in Darbar sahib but stopping people from shooting in darbar sahib is just absurd.

What about those tourists that come to darbar sahib they surely shoot videos.

Tourists and film makers are completely different when it comes to making videos. One is making a video to remember the times they spent at darbar saahib. The other is making a shot for more viewing and $$ purposes. They would then add a 2 sec preview of it in their 'movie trailors' which would lead to people being interested and watching the movie, and then the next thing you know, there are half naked girls dancing around and 'singhs' in turbans with be bottles in their hands in the other scenes of the same film...

The issue about parking/proper entrance is completely valid. However, this is a good step they are taking, and in the positive direction.

[cool water]

If you look at the pics of darbar sahib and now compared to late 19th century, you can see marked difference. Even in 1970s i've seen pictures of darbar sahib which looks more spiritual place than it does now. It's too touristy and commercialised, too many non-sikhs go there not to get in touch with their spiritual side or pay respect, and reverance but to tick off on their list of places to see while in punjab/india.