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IMA raises concerns over Sunny Deol’s portrayal of doctors (Img: Video Grab of Teaser)
New Delhi: Sunny Deol’s upcoming film "Suryaa: Ant Se Aarambh Tak" has drawn criticism from the Indian Medical Association (IMA), which has urged the Centre to review its promotional content. It has expressed concerns that film unfairly portrays doctors and could encourage hostility towards healthcare workers.
The controversy erupted after the makers released a teaser showing Deol’s character questioning malpractice in the medical system.
The IMA has argued that the promotional material risks presenting corruption and unethical practices as widespread across the medical profession. While acknowledging that individual cases of misconduct must be addressed, the association maintained that wrongdoing should be investigated through legal and disciplinary channels rather than used to discredit doctors as a group.
The association also raised concerns about scenes depicting violence against doctors, nurses and other hospital staff. It warned that presenting physical attacks as heroic or justified could worsen existing security challenges faced by healthcare professionals.
"Such portrayals could normalise violence against healthcare professionals and potentially aggravate the safety challenges faced by doctors and hospital staff," the IMA said in its letter.
Copy of letter dated October 22, 2026 written to @AshwiniVaishnaw , Hon’ble Minister for Information & Broadcasting, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Government of India. https://t.co/iSkpUe4tce
— Indian Medical Association (@IMAIndiaOrg) October 22, 2026
The teaser was released on October 19, coinciding with Sunny Deol’s birthday. Directed by M Padmakumar, the crime thriller is scheduled to reach cinemas on November 20.
Deol plays a man dealing with personal loss who becomes embroiled in events linked to the healthcare system. The makers describe the film as inspired by unbelievable true events, with its central character attempting to uncover disturbing practices.
In the teaser, Deol questions the trust patients place in doctors and alleges that some medical professionals exploit it for financial gain. His character claims that a patient seeking treatment for a minor illness could end up with a bill of Rs 5 lakh after being subjected to 25 tests. He also accuses doctors linked to an organisation called Hope of issuing commission slips instead of prescriptions.
"Doctors there don't write prescriptions. They write commission slips. And we, the people, have been tolerating all of this. But for how long?" Sunny says in the teaser.
The IMA’s objections centre on the film’s portrayal of medical malpractice and the way its promotional material frames the conflict between doctors and patients.
"Suryaa" is a remake of the 2018 Malayalam film "Joseph", which explores alleged organ-harvesting rackets involving patients falsely declared brain-dead and the killing of potential organ donors. The IMA’s Kerala wing had criticised the original film, saying many families were already reluctant to donate the organs of brain-dead relatives.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has clarified that the film has not been submitted to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). The dispute has therefore emerged before the formal certification process.
The IMA has sought a fair review and appropriate action, if warranted under the law. There is no indication that the CBFC has reviewed or cleared the film.
Besides Deol, the cast includes Ravi Kishan, Pragya Jaiswal, Tanushree Chakraborty, Manish Wadhwa, Tinu Anand, Virti Vaghani, Jisshu Sengupta, Khalid Siddiqui, Anoop Trivedi and Rohit Tiwari. The film is scheduled for release on November 20.
