NEW DELHI: After the Indian Medical Association (IMA), it is now the Delhi Medical Association (DMA) which has sought an urgent review of the upcoming Sunny Deol-starrer Suryaa: Ant Se Aarambh Tak, expressing concern that its teaser’s portrayal of doctors as commission-driven could fuel public hostility towards healthcare professionals.
In a letter dated October 22 to Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, the DMA urged the government and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to examine the film’s complete content, including scenes involving doctors and healthcare institutions, before its scheduled theatrical release on November 20.
Earlier, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, seeking an urgent review of the film Suryaa – Ant Se Aarambh Tak over its portrayal of the medical profession and alleged violence against healthcare workers
The DMA, which represents more than 20,000 allopathic medical professionals in Delhi, said its concern was not about exposing genuine medical malpractice but about portraying an entire profession through what it described as a prejudicial and inflammatory narrative.
The DMA’s concerns come against the backdrop of repeated incidents of violence against doctors in hospitals, often involving patients’ relatives following a death or amid disputes over treatment.
The Association objected particularly to a dialogue in the teaser that says doctors write prescriptions for commissions. It argued that sweeping allegations could create the impression that corruption is inherent to the medical profession, without distinguishing individual cases of misconduct from the ethical work of the majority of doctors.
The Association said healthcare professionals already face threats, intimidation and physical violence while performing their duties. It warned that portrayals that appear to legitimise anger, confrontation or retaliatory violence could further undermine the doctor-patient relationship and expose healthcare workers to hostility.
The letter was signed by DMA President Dr Neelam Lekhi, State Secretary Dr Vipender Sabherwal and Finance Secretary Dr Raminder Popli. Copies were sent to the CBFC chairperson, the Union Health Secretary and the Director General of Health Services. (DGHS)
The DMA said it did not seek immunity for doctors from criticism or accountability for professional misconduct. Its concern, it said, was that generalisations could weaken public trust in healthcare and jeopardise the safety of medical professionals.
The DMA has asked the government and the CBFC to review the film’s dialogues, scenes and promotional material against applicable film-certification guidelines, particularly where content may glorify violence, encourage unlawful retaliation or unfairly stigmatise a professional community.
It has also sought corrective measures, including modifications to objectionable material where legally warranted, and a disclaimer clarifying that fictional allegations should not be treated as established facts or attributed to the medical profession as a whole.
The Association has asked the authorities to consider withholding certification or restricting public exhibition if statutory grounds are established. It has also proposed consultations with recognised medical associations on the portrayal of healthcare professionals in films, while preserving legitimate artistic expression.
‘Suryaa: Ant Se Aarambh Tak’, directed by M Padmakumar, features Sunny Deol as a grieving father and police officer who sets out to investigate his daughter’s death and uncover alleged malpractice in the medical system.
The teaser, released on October 19, questions medical practices, including alleged unnecessary tests and high bills, and includes the line, “Doctors don’t write prescriptions there, they write their commissions.”
The film’s makers describe it as inspired by true events. However, the teaser alone does not establish the specific cases on which its allegations are based. The DMA’s objection centres on the possible effect of the portrayal on public perception of doctors, rather than on whether malpractice should be exposed.
The controversy also raises a wider question about how films can address genuine concerns in healthcare without unfairly generalising about an entire professional community.
The DMA has maintained that artistic freedom must be respected, but said it should be exercised in accordance with applicable law and with due regard to public order, possible incitement to offences and the wider social consequences of mass communication.
Research also points to the scale of the problem, although estimates vary across studies. A 2026 study involving 200 physicians from a teaching hospital and private healthcare facilities in Dehradun found that 75% had experienced workplace violence. Patients’ relatives were identified as the perpetrators in 68% of reported cases, while only 18% of incidents were formally reported to the police. The findings, however, reflect the study sample and cannot be treated as a national estimate with experts calling for a national level study.
For doctors, such incidents underline the need for better hospital security, accountability for assaults and improved communication with families during emergencies.
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