NEW DELHI – ‘Gurbani’, a show that premiered on Monday and whose promos were out almost a month before, is now called ‘Bani — Ishq Da Kalma’. The original title came under fire from various Sikh organisations.
Taking note of the reports and concerns, the channel changed the title from Gurbani to Bani — Ishq da Kalma. Gurbani refers to sacred words in Guru Granth Sahib.
They felt that using the name Gurbani (it means ‘Guru Nanak’s verses’) in the entertainment space would hurt religious sentiments. Following the protests, the channel changed the title just half an hour before the show’s launch. However, the name of the protagonist — Gurbani — on whom the show is based, remains the same.
“The title was close to my heart as my niece is named Gurbani. I am from Punjab and a Sikh, and I wanted to show Punjab and the word Gurbani in a good light,” says producer Damini Shetty, adding, “Unfortunately, it seems to have hurt the sentiments of a few people. And since the audience matters to us, we changed the name. We were surprised at this last-minute reaction as the promo has been on air for a while and we even promoted the show in Punjab.” Shetty reveals that there is no change in the story of the serial.
Prashant Bhatt, head of fiction, Colors, says, “The name change will earn us more loyal fans and goodwill as we’ve made people happy. We are here to entertain people, not hurt anyone’s sentiments.”
