Controversial Sikh film which caused protest and Wolverhampton cinema evacuation removed from screens
A controversial Sikh film which led to a mass protest in a Wolverhampton cinema has been removed from cinemas worldwide by its producer.
Cineworld at Bentley Bridge was shut down on Sunday after around 50 protesters stormed in to halt a screening of the film Nanak Shah Fakir.
Customers were forced to leave the cinema after staff closed the multiplex due to public safety fears.
The film was being protested against because Sikhism prohibits any depiction of the Guru Nanak in human form.
Now producer Harinder Singh Sikka said he has withdrawn the film from cinemas until changes were made to satisfy the Sikh community.
He said that among those who have seen the film 'there is not even a single person who is not commending the movie', and expressed frustration at not being asked for the changes during production, which he said had approval from Sikh authorities.
The producer said the film was granted written permission by the Darbar Sahib - the holiest Sikh gurdwara in Amritsar, India - four months ago.
Odeon and Cineworld have pulled the film from all of its cinemas where it was due to be screened, including its site at the New Square shopping centre in West Bromwich.
Three daily showings had been planned at the cinema in the New Square shopping centre. It was not planned to be shown at its cinema at the Merry Hill centre.
Some UK cinemas had already refused to show it through fear of offending religious sentiments.
The film was banned in the state of Punjab. Elsewhere in India mass protests have greeted screenings of the film since its release last week.
