Following the controversy surrounding the Punjabi film “Sutlej,” another Punjabi feature film titled “Chardikla” has been plunged into legal scrutiny, prompting the matter to reach the High Court. The producer of the film filed a petition challenging the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) for refusing to issue a clearance certificate for its theatrical release in India.
In response to the petition, the High Court directed the submitters to lay the film’s complete script along with the full records of the CBFC review committee before the bench by July 31. Produced by Gurkaran Singh Dhaliwal under the banner MAD4FILMS, the narrative is reported to be inspired by the life and struggles of Bimal Kaur Khalsa, the wife of Beant Singh, who was involved in the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Starring Ammy Virk and Roopi Gill in lead roles, the film was released internationally on May 29, 2026, but remains barred from public screening across domestic theatres.
The petitioner had earlier approached the court regarding procedural delays by the CBFC in assessing the project. On July 2, the High Court instructed the certification body to form a formal review committee to evaluate the movie. Subsequently, on July 14, the review committee rejected the certification without explicitly clarifying which specific scenes, dialogues, or sequences were deemed objectionable.
Addressing the court, the petitioner maintained that the movie does not glorify the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, arguing instead that it strictly chronicles the biographical struggle of Bimal Kaur Khalsa. With the High Court now seeking all internal evaluation records from the central board, the ultimate theatrical fate of the film hinges on the upcoming judicial review.
