The security presence, organisers said, was purely precautionary to ensure the gathering remained peaceful, and the screening concluded without any untoward incident.
The contrast was, however, hard to miss — a heavily guarded gurdwara on the outside and a community quietly watching the film inside.
Organisers said they had consciously kept politics away from the event. No political leaders were invited or allowed to attend, they said, adding that they had also received calls from the crime branch enquiring whether the film was going to be screened.
"We wanted this to remain a community event, not a political one," they said.
For Ravneet Singh, the gurdwara's general secretary, the decision to organise the screening was driven by what he described as a desire to familiarise younger generations with a difficult chapter of Punjab's history.
"We only wanted people, and especially current generation to know what happened with Punjab in 1995 and what ordinary families went through," Singh told The Tribune.
He said the film raises questions about the loss of lives and the role of the Punjab Police during those years.
"It also asks why so many police personnel received rapid promotions during that time," he added.
Questioning the decision to block the film, Singh said historical events, however uncomfortable, should remain open for public viewing and discussion. "Why they did not block Kashmir Files, Kerala Files, Bengal Files? If that was okay, to tell what has happened, why is this wrong?"
The organisers said if people, especially youth, are not allowed to see such films, they will never know what happened. "This is not about showing the country in a poor light. It is about allowing people to understand history and discuss it. If wrong was committed, it should be acknowledged," the gurdwara general secretary said.
Referring to the film's portrayal of alleged fake encounters and unclaimed cremations, Singh said it echoed issues raised by human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, whose work, he said, deserved to be remembered and discussed.
Among those in the audience was Parminder Singh Malik, who runs the Gurudas Amar Sewa Trust and is known for serving free meals to patients and attendants outside AIIMS. Malik said the sharp divide over the film in Punjab reflected the state's charged political atmosphere ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.
"Politics in Punjab is at its peak because of the elections next year. Some people feel the atmosphere could be affected. We are not here for politics. We only want people to watch the film and form their opinion," he said.
As the screening ended, families quietly moved out of the basement, while the RAF personnel continued to stand guard outside. Food was served to everyone.
For those inside, the evening was less about political slogans and more about watching a film that has sparked one of Punjab's most contentious public debates in recent months.
The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) has told its elected office-bearers to screen the movie in their respective areas. The DSGMC is providing the movie, sound systems and screening apparatus like projectors and smart TV. However, due to several scenes of alcohol consumption in the movie, it was decided not to screen it at Bhai Lakhi Shah Vanjara Hall at Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib in Central Delhi.