An elated Harbhajan Maan said, “This is the victory of Punjabi cinema. Till a couple of years ago, cinema halls like PVR would not even entertain people like me. Now our films are running in these multiplexes and getting a good response. The Punjabi cinema that has touched its nadir is rising once again.”
Facing flak that this camp has been drawing audience mainly due to the NRI nostalgia syndrome, an angry Maan says, “When I and Manji (Manmohan) decided to come together in 2002, we were very sure that we will not make a film where Punjabis are shown moving around on horses with gandasas. We wanted to make cinema of and about modern Punjab. The way Punjabis live today, their issues and problems.”
Maan adds, “We have Punjabis residing in around 125 nations. At present, our films open in Canada, Australia, England and a few other countries. I aspire to release my films in all the 125 nations.”
Manmohan Singh, the director of the film, is a well-known cinematographer who has given hits such as Maachis, Chandni, Mohabbatein and Dil To Pagal Hai. At the peak of his career, Manji stepped into the almost dead Punjabi cinema.
“Punjabi cinema per se was a great medium. We have had classics like Chan Pardesi and Laung Da Lishkara but then we lost the direction. Qualified actors, directors, technicians of Punjab shifted to Bollywood. I realised my responsibility towards the Punjabi cinema.” Manji adds, “A UN report says that the Punjabi language will die in the coming 50 years. Cinema is one medium through which we can keep our language alive.”
“When I began the process of making a Punjabi film, I was very clear that I would show realistic Punjabi characters. Even in my latest film I have taken up two issues - Why is that a Punjabi youth is ready is slog in foreign shores and not here in India and the mad race of selling agricultural land and migrating to cities,” added Manji.
Guggu Gill (actor): This actor who comes from one of the most underdeveloped areas of Punjab, Mani Khera, Abohar, made a mark for himself in the Punjabi cinema with films like Jeona Muar, Putt Jattan De and Vidroh. Gill makes a comeback in the mainstream Punjabi cinema with the film.
About his hiatus from the Punjabi cinema Gill says, “After the death of Varinder in the 80s, Punjabi cinema lost its steam. Terrorism further hit us and then there was this total blank. Thankfully we are back on track now.”
