ShodhKosh: Journal of Visual and Performing ArtsISSN (Online): 2582-7472
Contemporising Punjabi Cinema: Chronology and Culture 1 Associate
Professor, PG Department of English, Guru Gobind Singh College for Women,
Chandigarh, India
1. INTRODUCTION Indian cinema is a culturally complex and multi-layered industry. It is also the largest source of entertainment for any audience globally. Tackling social, political, religious and local issues in a variety of languages, Indian cinema is much more than Bollywood, a term offered as an equivalent to the Hollywood of the west. Films made to cater to the Hindi speaking-understanding audience are produced largely in Mumbai, but it is the regional cinema of a linguistically complex country like India, which provides it diversity and heterogeneity. To arrive at a definitive exposition of Indian cinema, therefore is not an exercise required for the present context. It would centre more on a quantitative reliance than a cultural or linguistic explanation. Indian cinema has contributed significantly to the economic and employment sectors of the nation building and made Mumbai the metropolitan entertainment capital of the country it now is. The vast Indian hinterland is reflected in the colour and flavour of the cinema of many Indian states. Regional identity and cultural memory have not got their rightful due in Bollywood productions, except cliched depictions of the brash Punjabi, the money-wise Gujarati, the anglicised Goan or the poetic Bengali. The present attempt, however, seeks to focus on the complex regional cinemas which are made for a specific linguistic audience. The paper will examine how the Punjabi film industry has evolved since independence and focus on the New Age Cinema later. This can be achieved by understanding how Punjabi cinema has largely been a male dominated project, both onscreen and behind the cameras. The caste dynamics of Punjab are visible in the depiction of the upper caste male hero who is seen equally at ease in rural, urban, and international settings. Regional cinema does not have the financial backing that Bollywood does, with the exception of South Indian cinema. Not much scholarship in the form of book titles in English is available on Punjabi cinema, hardly any on New Age Punjabi cinema. There has been a heavy reliance on media publications earlier and online scholarly resources now. To understand the titles of Punjabi films, they have been translated in the notes to convey the essence and nuances and also to suggest how they evolved over the years. A sincere effort has been made to include the latest developments in Punjabi cinema in the present context. 2. Historical Overview of Themes in Punjabi Cinema Pre-Partition Punjabi cinema can be said to have begun with Daughters of Today (1928), a silent film and Heer Ranjha (1932) a sound film. Lahore was the movie capital of the undivided Punjab. Films like Husn ka Daku (1929), Heer Ranjha (1932), Pind di kudi (1935) went on to become hits in pre-partition Punjab. The partition of India hit Punjab and cinema inherited the pangs of the birth of a new nation. Various film makers from Lahore shut down their studios in the face of violence and moved to Bombay. Punjabi cinema lost its Urdu, Sindhi, and Pashto nuances with these remaining on the other side of the border, while Dogri cinema went its own way, located mainly in Himachal Pradesh and the Jammu region. According to film historian Bhim Raj Garg “Partition hit the film industry by destabilising two film hubs of undivided India — Calcutta and Lahore” Garg (2017). Further, it has been said that “Bombay’s Hindi cinema itself is nothing but a cinema of a Punjabi diaspora, with its sagas of twins separated at birth, family feuds resolved by matriarchal diktat and wives performing rituals for the longevity of their husbands” Rajadhyaksha (2016). The film industry also established itself deeply in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Bengal, with their own discourses, culture and representations, in the post-Independence years. Cinema as an industry in the regional-nationalist context created a new matrix which took roots in Punjab as well. The human and economic resources which came to Bombay from Lahore after partition stayed in Bombay and did not contribute much to Punjabi cinema in Punjab as such. Shaheed (1948) with Dilip Kumar heralded the rise of nationalistic cinema and went on to become a super hit. This was also the time when Raj Kapoor and Dev Anand set up their own production houses. Till 1955, Indian Punjabi films were released in Lahore, but this practice was discontinued due to increasing hostilities between the two nations. Independent India’s first Punjabi film, Chaman (1948) was released in Lahore. Other films of this period include Lachhi, Mundri and Pheray, all made in 1949. In the following years, Punjabi cinema produced a considerable output and Satluj de Kande (1964) became the first Punjabi film to win a National Film Award. Regional new cinema emerged in the latter half of 1960s and was flourishing by the next decade. A massive landmark of Punjabi cinema, Nanak Naam Jahaaz Hai released in 1969. Based on a religious theme, it featured the stalwart Prithviraj Kapoor, I S Johar and Vimmi in lead roles. The film’s release marked the 500th year of the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak Dev’s birth. Such was the cultural impact of the film that it saw huge queues when released. It won the National Film Award for Best Punjabi Film and Best Music. The music of the film was in the form of shabads, (devotional hymns), two of them sung by Bhai Samund Singh, famous Hazuri Raagi of Sri Darbar Sahib, Amritsar. The theatres were enveloped in a semi-divine aura when it was screened with premises being washed after every show and the audience covering their heads during screening. However, the film’s depiction of a miracle went against the very tenets of Sikhism and some criticism was levelled against the film makers for bringing together romanticism and religion. This was one of the first visible cases where popular culture came in conflict with the religious beliefs of the community. However, this was not enough to deter the popularity of the film. Its iconic status in the Punjabi film canon can be gauged from the fact that it was re-released several times in the following decades, once in 2015 too. After the stupendous success of Nanak Naam Jahaaz Hai, the Punjabi film industry saw a huge impetus in its outcome. Two distinct kinds of genres emerged, one continuing the religio-divine themes and the other, romantic comedies set in rural backgrounds. Of the former, distinct productions include, Nanak Dukhiya Sab Sansar (1970), Man Jeete Jag Jeet (1973), Dukh Bhanjan Tera Naam (1974), Sawa Lakh se Ek Ladaaun (1976). The last film also courted controversy for its depiction of the protagonist as a clean-shaven Nihang, which is not possible because Nihangs are baptized Sikhs who do not have shorn hair and beards. Fake beards on the soldiers in Sawa Lakh se Ek Ladaaun also caused Sikh political parties to object. Films with divine themes have always treaded a thin line when it comes to the depiction of the Sikh Gurus or their teachings. There was also a parallel output of romantic films like Kankan de Ohle (1970), Mele Mitran de (1972) and Teri Meri Ik Jindri (1975). Two distinct kinds of genres emerged, one continuing the religio-divine themes and the other, romantic comedies set in rural backgrounds Stalwarts like Rajesh Khanna and Rekha had cameos in Sawa Lakh se Ek Ladaaun and Saal Solvan Chadya (1977) respectively. Rajesh Khanna also played the lead in Til Til da Lekha (1979), a film which won two Punjab State Government Awards. Teri Meri Ik Jindri introduced Dharmendra’s cousin Veerendra, who emerged as a superhit lead actor of Punjabi cinema in the coming years. An iconic film Chann Pardesi was released in 1980, starring future heavy weights like Raj Babbar, Amrish Puri, Om Puri, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Sushma Seth and Rama Vij. Written by Baldev Gill, it is a poignant story of a small knit village community in which agrarian issues, marital discords, feudal relationships and oppression of women figure as prominent issues. The film was rooted in the rural Punjabi ethos and yet created a storm in Bombay. According to Aparajita Krishna, Raj Kapoor wrote to the Punjab Government commending the film and saying that the artists involved in its making could contribute to Punjab’s culture significantly Krishna (2020). This cult film was re-released in May, 2022 by Dolby Digital, re-enforcing its status in the canon of Punjabi cinema. The 80s saw Dharmendra move to Bollywood completely and
Veerendra, his cousin, emerging as Director, Producer, Writer, and actor in the
world of Punjabi cinema. In his short career of 12 years, Veerendra was a part
of around 25 films like Lambardarni (1980), Balbiro Bhabhi (1981), Sarpanch (1982), Batwara (1982). This was also the time
when Punjabi films of Pakistan like Maula Jatt (1979) greatly influenced
the film industry on this side of the Radcliffe Line. Maula Jatt holds a
special place in the Pakistani Punjabi film canon because of its gore,
violence, raw justice, and the attempts of the government to have it banned. It is at this
point in the history of Punjabi cinema that the ‘Jatt’ (a caste of land owners mostly) first finds mention in film titles like Putt
Jattan De (1983), Yaari Jatt Di (1984), Vairi
Jatt (1985), Jatt te Zameen (1987), Jatt
Soormay (1988). Veerendra was killed during
the filming of Jatt te Zameen and few of his
films were released posthumously. His killing by gunshot in 1988 at the age of
forty could never be unravelled, being blamed on professional rivalry and on
Sikh hardliners at different times. Punjab had entered a tumultuous phase of
militancy and uncertainty at this time[1] and the
entertainment industry was a target for the militant groups. A popular Punjabi
singer, Amar Singh Chamkila, his wife and two
accompanists were also gunned down in 1988. His songs divided opinion, with one
school saying that they were obscene, unsuitable and the other saying that they
depicted a true picture of Punjabi society and culture. He had to appear before
the Sikh High Seat, the Akal Takht in Amritsar to apologise and seek
forgiveness. His songs have seen a revival over the years and there is still a
consistent fan following, despite his work’s complicated relation with Punjabi
culture and society. These were two setbacks to the Punjabi cinema and music
industry which unsettled the industry for some time. A seminal film, Laung da Lishkara
released in 1986, featuring Raj Babbar, Gurdas Mann, Om Puri. The film
discussed class distinctions vis-à-vis human relationships and had an iconic
music score which is hugely popular today also. The 80s ended with a film which
is a landmark in the history of Punjabi cinema, Marhi da Deeva (1989).
The cast of Raj Babbar, Pankaj Kapur, Deepti Naval, Om Puri, Parikshit Sahni, Kanwaljit Singh delivered iconic performances. Based on
famous Punjabi novelist Gurdial Singh’s novel of the same title, it went on to
win several awards. The film has been discussed in detail in the paper later. Two stars emerged in the horizon of Punjabi cinema in the
1990s, Guggu Gill and Yograj Singh. They figured in
films like Qurbani Jatt Di (1990), Anakh Jattan Di (1991), Jor
Jatt Da (1991), Badla Jatti Da (1991).
Priti Sapru emerged as the female lead in these years. These years saw mixed
reactions from the audience as they did not go to cinema halls due to threats
by militant groups. The video cassette industry flourished at this time as did
the rental industry. These were years when Punjab’s economy was destabilised
and issues of religion, culture, extremism inter-twined. An important film of
these years was Jatt Jeona Morh (1992) which
gave Guggu Gill the status of a superstar in Punjabi
Cinema. Made on a budget of Rupees 30 Lakhs, it went on to become a
blockbuster. Based on the story of a man who becomes a bandit, it depicted a
Robin Hood like character who took from the rich and gave to the poor. Jagga Daku (1991), with Yograj Singh in the
titular role, also narrated the life of a ‘heroic rebel’ of Punjab, who seeks
to protect the rights of villagers against feudal landlords. Like Jeona Morh, he too becomes an outlaw after rebelling. 1998 saw the release of Train to Pakistan, a film made
partly in Hindi and Punjabi. Based on Khushwant Singh’s novel depicting the
pangs of partition, it was later dubbed fully in Punjabi. The film focussed on
the weeks post-partition and the violence that happened when people from both
sides of the border migrated. Though it cannot be classified as a Punjabi film
in its true genre, but the ethos and the trauma that came with it touched
chords when the dubbed version came out. The period between 1992 and 1999 did not see any major hit
Punjabi film. But in 1999, a very different film Mahaul Theek Hai, written, produced and directed by veteran TV artist, Jaspal Bhatti,
who also acted in it, was released. The film belonged to an altogether new
genre in Punjabi cinema, the comic satire. According to Baljinder Nasrali, Jaspal Bhatti had already made a name as a critic
of society’s flaws and the common man’s problems with his shows on Doordarshan, Flop Show and Ulta
Pulta Nasrali (2010). Taking a huge
risk by not adding any caste or revenge angle to the film, by not offering any
glorified version of Punjab’s masculine discourse, Jaspal Bhatti’s film
targeted the Punjab Police and politics, which was in itself
a daunting agenda. Literally translated as ‘The Times are Right’, the
film actually pulled the Punjabi cinema industry out
of its dark phase, marred by militancy and economic downfall, and brought
audiences back to the theatre. The film’s premiere was held at Tihar Jail in
true Bhatti flavour, where inmates and jail officials saw it together and the
credits were uniquely written, Overacting, Sound Pollution, Editing Jumps,
Fighting Spirit, Music Driver, Underground Singers, Sets and Upsets, Costume
and Rag Designer, Misdirection. Such a film is uniquely placed in the history
of Punjabi cinema and has had no equal till date for its central premise, wit, humour,
and cerebral quality. Another note-worthy film, Shaheed-e-Mohabbat Boota Singh also released in 1999. It was based on the real life story of Boota Singh, who belonged to Ludhiana and Zainab, a Muslim girl rescued by Boota Singh from a volatile mob during the partition violence. They get married but Zainab is taken to Pakistan and separated from her husband and child. The real Boota Singh went to Pakistan to get his family back as did the reel version. But they could not be united and Boota Singh took his own life. His grave is in Lahore and revered till date by love struck youngsters. The film won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Punjabi at the 46th National Film Awards and was screened at several international film festivals. The start of the new millennium saw the release of Jee Aayan Nu in 2002, which proved to be a
pivot for the complete revival of the Punjabi film industry. Before this half
of Yaari Jatt Di in 1984 had been shot in the UK and appealed to the
Punjabi diaspora. Jee Aayan Nu, though not fully shot abroad, had as its
theme, the return of a Punjabi family to its native village after spending
decades abroad. It marked the debut of singer Harbhajan Mann as a hero and
tugged at the heart strings of Punjabis with its nostalgia for the land of
birth. Continuing this theme, the same team presented Asa
Nu Maan Watna Da in 2004. According to
Times of India, ‘The movie shows the struggles of NRIs in adjusting to a
completely different culture, at the same time it shows how the society resists
in welcoming them as a permanent member of their world’ Times of India. (2020). This was a transitional phase in the Punjabi film industry as the
themes moved away from the rural backdrops to diaspora
oriented stories. Similar films included Des Hoyaa Pardes, Dil
Apna Punjabi, Munde UK De, Lakh Pardesi Hoye. Jaspal Bhatti presented a unique film, Jija
Ji in 2006. A comedy, based on an irritating brother-in-law who is a
typically Indian phenomenon, the film presented a gamut of relationships in
typical Bhatti comic fashion. Once again, Jaspal Bhatti had gone against the
grain by making a simple film which depicted the day-to-day life of common
people, with no foreign locations, no loud song and dance and no romantic
overdose. In 2010, came Mel Karade Rabba,
which became the highest-grossing Punjabi film ever. Gippy
Grewal, the popular Punjabi singer made his acting debut with this film,
carrying forward what Gurdas Mann and Harbhajan Mann had done earlier. This
point also marked a temporary pause in the NRI-hero oriented stories which had
pulled audiences to theatres. The following year, 2012, again saw a revival of
Jatt titled films like Jatt & Juliet and Carry on Jatta. The former had
Diljit Dosanjh as the hero and the latter had Gippy
Grewal as the main lead, both iconic Punjabi singers. Both films saw sequels, a
first in Punjabi film industry and a trend-setter for later years. Jatt &
Juliet 2 (2013) was also released in Pakistani cinemas, bringing Punjabi cinema
full circle Subramanian & Anand (2014). In an interview
with Business Standard, the producer, Gunbir Singh Sidhu says that he believes
that Pakistan is the biggest market for Punjabi films Roy (2014). This was also
the first Punjabi film to be launched on 'Blu-Ray' for Home Entertainment,
entering the league of Tamil and Telugu regional cinemas. Films like Nabar, Bikkar Bai Sentimental, Dastaar, Punjab Bolda, Haani (all
2013), did not do well at the box office but still made their presence felt.
Chaar Sahibzaade, based on the four sons of Guru
Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru of the Sikhs released in 2014. It was a pioneering
concept in more than one way, it was 3D and one of the few films based directly
on the lives of prominent Sikh religious figures. The film became a huge
success and related to audiences across all ages. Another such film Nanak Shah
Fakir (2015) faced a ban and faced protests from Sikhs for direct portrayal of
historical figures, like Guru Nanak’s parents and sister. The issue reached the
Supreme Court, which ordered the release of the film. The film won three
National Awards, for Best Feature Film on National Integration, Best Costume
Design and Best Make-up Artist. Here, once again two different genres of Punjabi films emerge, one, the
slapstick comedies discussed above and the other, based on social issues. A
very initial attempt at social problem based films was
Mitti (2010), describing the lives of four friends
who work as muscle men for a political party but when they see the wrong doings
of the leader who wants to grab land at any cost, they rise against tyranny.
The film sank at the box office as audiences were deprived of glamour and
spectacle of typical Punjabi films. However with these
years, the actual coming of age New Age Punjabi films began, which had social
issues, large scale immigration and cultural identity as their themes. A
landmark film, Anhe Ghore
da Daan (2011), directed by Gurvinder Singh, portrayed the plight of farmers,
and went on to win National Awards for Best Direction, Cinematography and Best
Feature Film in Punjabi at the 59th National Film Awards of India. The film was
showcased at various film festivals all over the world and was highly praised
for its craftsmanship, camera angles and colour palette. Presenting an unseen
Punjab on-screen it depicted caste based oppression
and the conflict between capitalism and rural economy. Another film of the same
genre, also directed by Gurvinder Singh, Chauthi Koot
was produced in 2015. It figured in the Un Certain Regard section of the Cannes
Film Festival and was based on two of Sahitya Akademi
award winner, Waryam Singh Sandhu’s stories. Post 2015 years saw a new type of Punjabi cinema emerge in
which the films were set in the past, sometimes before independence like Angrej, Bambukat, Lahoriye,
Rabb da Radio etc. They depicted a nostalgia and yearning for the
rural agrarian way of life with their mud plastered sets, homely costumes, and
regional dialects. The plots were simple and light without any angry or comic Jatts, more like a next door
neighbourly depiction of villages of Punjab. A film which brought together
artists from Pakistan and India, Chal Mera Putt came
out in 2019. It was a path-breaking film in the sense that it was a
collaboration between two cultures with the same language separated during the
painful partition of India. Artists like Iftikhar Thakur, Nasir Chinyoti, Akram Uddas from
Pakistan worked alongside Punjabi actors like Amrinder Gill and Simi Chahal.
The film was not allowed to be released in Pakistan but was a huge success all
over the world. The film has already seen two sequels in 2020 and 2021. 3. Women in Punjabi
Cinema Punjabi cinema has consistently enunciated Raewyn Connell’s
concept of ‘hegemonic masculinity’ in the last five decades, with its quest for
the ‘real’ man. It is the men’s world that women have to
fit in, as power and patriarchy go hand in hand. This is true not only of
Punjabi films but also of its society, as the man has to
demonstrate his superiority over women and the upper caste vendetta seeking man
over the marginalised ‘other’ man. Violence, toughness, risk-taking,
competitiveness and control are the markers of the Punjabi man in films. The
woman in Punjabi cinema has mostly been depicted along two diametrically
opposite roles, one, the mother or the care giver and the beloved or the lover.
The onscreen depictions of folklore based characters
like Heer, Sahibaan, Sassi did not allow for much
variation in characterisation as Punjabi audiences are familiar with these
stories. Women in Punjabi cinema are idealised versions seen through the man’s
eyes, deeply embedded in patriarchal norms. So, the Punjabi film heroine will
be light-skinned with long hair and the matron/mother
will be plump and usually a nag. One of the earliest Punjabi films to have a
central female lead was Badla Jatti Da (1991).
The film was initially titled Gulabo, but the
distributors pressurised the film makers to add the word ‘Jatt’ to its title
and the entire promotional material had to be re-made. Sunita Dhir (later
Faculty at Department of Theatre and Television, Punjabi University, Patiala)
played the character of a woman whose entire family is killed by a prominent
village figure. She raises her son to seek revenge from that family in a truly
feudal setting. Though the film was a huge blockbuster
yet Dhir was not paid as much as the male leads of those days. However, after
almost three decades she says in an article in Hindustan Times, “Punjabi
cinema does not make female-oriented films like Mother India. Despite playing
the lead in Badla Jatti Da, I was paid less
than the men. I have played crucial roles in several films but have never been
paid as well.” The leading ladies of those days included, Priti Sapru, who also
directed films like Qurbani Jatt Di, Mehndi Shagna Di and Sardari in
1997, creating a new path for women in Punjabi cinema. The female characters
could hardly be called leads or heroines, except for the glamour they provided.
They were presented as docile, obedient daughters, sacrificing sisters, devoted
wives, and mothers. Sometimes feuds arise in these films because of the
‘honour’ of women and the hero takes it upon himself to avenge the deed. The
harassed woman would hardly be the heroine, who had to be pure and unblemished in order to fit into the patriarchal discourse. Honour and
prestige are attributes ingrained in the psyches of Punjabis, and cinema has
only added to the glue holding it there. Among some films which carved out niches for themselves like
Deepti Naval in Marhi da Deeva and Divya Dutta in Shaheed-e-Mohabbat
Boota Singh, both delivered stellar performances as characters which did
not follow the established norms for women characters of Punjabi cinema. Kirron Kher in Punjab 1984 was the epitome of the
mothers who lost their young sons in the troubled years of militancy. Her
truthful and accurate portrayal of the mother who has gone through years of
trauma tugged at the heart strings of the audience. The male-centric discourse of Punjabi cinema led to the
phenomena of the singer-actor/hero with Gurdas Mann in Laung da Lishkara. Harbhajan Mann in Jee Aayan Nu carried
forward this trend. Other male singer heroes include Diljit Dosanjh and Gippy Grewal, both of whom have excelled in comic roles.
The meteoric rise of Sidhu Moosewala in the music
industry and as a hero in films like Moosa Jatt and Yes
I am a Student (2021) was cut short as he was murdered in May 2022, raising
several inter-related issues like gang wars, extortion threats, professional
rivalry in a visibly masculine film and music industry. These central
characters in films were all-in-one versions of the super man, who could
romance, fight, kill and deliver a social message at the same time. On the
other hand, very few female singers have made it as leading ladies in films,
with some exceptions like Miss Pooja in Channa Sachi
Muchi (2012), Pooja Kiven aa (2013) and Ishq Garaari (2013).
This can be attributed partially to Punjabi cultural discourse where
opportunities for both sexes are not equally balanced. In British India,
legendary singer Noor Jehan had acted in several films like Pind di Kudi
(1935), Khandaan (1942) and Mirza Sahibaan (1947), the latter being her last film to be
released in pre-partition Punjab. Nimrat Khaira, an established Punjabi female
singer has acted in films like Lahoriye, Afsar (2018),
and Saunkan
Saunkane (2021). These films do have
powerful women characters but not in the same league as their male
counterparts. It was not till 2010 that Punjabi cinema saw the first film
directed, produced and written by a woman, when Ish
Amitoj Kaur made Chhevan Dariya. Punjab is referred to
as the land of five rivers, the film offers an interesting take on what could
be Punjab’s sixth river. In an interview with Harminder Kaur, Ish Amitoj calls
the 2000-2010 decade ‘a period of renaissance for Punjabi movies.’ She goes on
to say, ‘Be proud to be associated with
good cinema, which showcases your culture in a meaningful way in front of the
whole world.’ Recent years have seen some women-centric stories like Channo (2016), Gelo (2016), Daana Paani
(2018), Needhi Singh (2017), Gudiyaan Patole (2019), Ardab Mutiyaraan
(2019). The last two films had
young girls as central characters, girls who could
challenge the way society operates. Successful heroines today include Neeru
Bajwa, in Jatt & Juliet, Sonam Bajwa, Sargun Mehta, Mandy Thakkar, Japji
Khaira. Saavi made by Nabar director Rajeev Kumar, showed the
plight of an eighteen year old Gujjar girl, Saavi, married
to a four year old boy, continuing the ancient practice of ‘vatta-satta’,
the exchange of brides in families. The film did not have much impact on the
box office but raised pertinent issues related to the custom which treats women
as commodities to be bartered, with or without consent. Hailed as the proponent
of new Punjabi cinema, Rajeev Kumar recently announced his next film Rakaans. He says that the film will be the first
truly feminist film and is based on the life choices of four different women.
One film which rendered some hope recently was Maa (2022) starring Divya
Dutta in the title role. Her depiction of the strong assertive mother is in
sharp contrast to earlier versions of the Punjabi mother as she struggles to
keep her family together. Today, actresses like Nirmal Rishi, Anita Devgan, Prabhsharan Kaur, Neeta Mohindra, Jaswant Daman, Rupinder
Rupi play character roles and no Punjabi movie is complete without them. They
can be seen in the role of indulgent mothers, grandmothers, wives, matriarchs
who provide emotional nourishment to the men of the family. They are in
perpetual search mode for prospective alliances for their ‘puttars,’
Punjabi for sons. The strong hero outside the home takes shelter and sustenance
in maternal bonds and occasional religiosity. Their presence does little or
nothing for the plot, however their portrayals do highlight Punjabi culture,
food, attire, and mannerisms. However, Punjabi cinema as a reflection of
Punjabi culture and societal norms has to go a long
way in establishing a strong feministic discourse. 4. Caste and Culture
in Punjabi Cinema The institution of ‘caste’ as such is not present in Punjab
if the society functions as envisioned in the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev, the
founder of Sikhism, who strongly critiqued the caste system and ritualism of
Hinduism. But, the on-ground reality tells another
story as the faith has changed over the years and the Jatt Sikhs have remained
dominant in the state with control over politics and religion, also because
they are the majority land owners. The marginalised, both because of caste and
economics, have been largely ignored in Punjabi cinema. Standard Punjabi film
themes have been a Jatt seeking revenge, patriotism, big fat weddings, student
life at College/University and NRI nostalgia. The valorisation of the Jatt
culture with hyper-masculine violent hero has been a stock theme over the
years. The image of a well-endowed hero with good towering physique and
strength captivated the audiences. The usage of the word Jatt in film
titles during the 1980s became the password to box office success and presented
a glorified image of the land owning community to the
audience, invoking a culture of patriarchy, caste lines and economic
disparities. The characters in these movies were broadly of two types, the
landed and the marginalised, sometimes involving a forbidden romantic angle
across these barriers. Film critic Gagandeep Singh says, ‘These films showed
severe fights among the community members on trivial issues rather than
exploring the real issues, the community has been facing’ Singh (2014). Laung da Lishkara
has immense cultural value for its depiction of a class and caste conscious
society in which it is unthinkable for the protagonist, a Canada returned
eligible bachelor of the richest upper caste household in the village and the
housemaid to get involved romantically. The hero seeks to transcend barriers of
class and is met with resistance from his mother and family. Marhi da Deeva, a slow-paced film, was
acclaimed for its ‘critical realism’. It depicted a tragedy of society and
culture with its portrayal of Jagsir, who belongs to
a low class and is doomed to die childless because of his parents’ unacceptable
marriage. He is exploited by the upper class landlord
whose land he tills, showing the plight of landless farmers. Such workers
called ‘seeri’ in Punjabi are symbols of caste-based
segregation and economic oppression. The film did not do well at the box
office, probably because of its strong critique and mirroring of Punjabi
society. According to film critic Gurwinder Lotay, director Surinder Singh said in an interview that he
visualized his film as a comment on the social-economic conditions, class
barriers and economic prejudices that separated man from man Lotay (2019). In a decade
where almost all Punjabi films had Jatt protagonists, Marhi
da Deeva, stood out with a low caste central character and his suffering.
Rajeev Kumar’s, Siri, depicts how the
labourer is also a partner in farming and also suffers
when farmers are exploited at the hands of loan sharks and market economics Kaur (2020). Jatt Jeona Morh portrayed the Hindu bania
(merchant) community as exploiters of the weaker sections. The protagonist
of the film robs Hindus and gives away the loot to the poor. Many versions of
this tale emerged over the years with some depicting Jeona
Morh as a petty thief. The fact that he was shown as a devotee of Mata Naina
Devi, a Hindu Goddess created ripples in the Sikh community. Naina Devi’s
temple is located on the top of a hill in the Shiwalik
range and it is said that Jeona
Morh died by leaping off the cliff there. He is said to have been betrayed by a
person from the Dogra community. Today, the location is marked in the temple
premises and devotees visit both the place and the shrine. Jeona
Morh is the proto-type of the modern day gangster of
Punjab, Singh et al. (2016), a recurrent
image in contemporary Punjabi music. The music of the film included a superhit
song Jeona Morh chattar
chaddaan chaleya (Jeona Morh on his way to donate a precious umbrella to
Naina Devi) written by Dev Tharikewala and sung by
Surinder Shinda, both legends of Punjabi music industry. The song narrated the
life story of Jeona Morh and criticised his
detractors. Jupinderjit Singh says, ‘A ring of halo appears to surround
Punjab’s gangland: Jeona Morh and Jagga Daku are a
part of the folklore.’ The film no doubt glorifies the concept of ‘steal from
rich and give to poor’ but it remains a hallmark of Punjabi cinema and his
story has entered the idiom of Punjabi culture. When films once again adopted the Jatt in their titles in the
2010s, the hero in Jatt & Juliet and Carry on Jatta
was not the angry, vengeful, macho hero of the 1990s. The Jatt protagonist now
was a slightly comic character, who could laugh at himself and the flaws in his
character. This was a new updated version of the rural Jatt, who now lived
either in an Indian capital or in a foreign country, successfully navigating
his way through. He did not wear the dress of his rural cousin of the 80s and
90s Punjabi films and was not blood-thirsty. He did
not till the land of his forefathers but worked like all other people. Other
such films were Jatts in Golmaal (2013)
and Jatt James Bond (2014). The titles too were a little anglicised and
not the masochistic proverbial angry young man in titles like Vairi Jatt etc. the women in these films too
were not village damsels with markers of their culture, but young confident
women in western attire. However, their lives continued to be controlled by the
men in their families. On the other end of the spectrum were avant-garde films like, Anhe Ghore da Daan, which was based on Gurdial Singh’s 1976 novel and showed the gross inequity of society over only one day in the life of a rural Punjabi family. The title of the film derives from Hindu mythology as Rahu on a chariot driven by blind horses to settle his scores with elite Gods. The film opens with a scene in which the protagonist’s, (a Dalit Sikh) house is being demolished as the landlord has sold the land for an industry to be built on it. The village elders plead with the Jatt landlord but to no avail. The brother of the protagonist is a rickshaw puller in a city and is barely able to make ends meet. He ruminates about coming back to his village while his family wants to shift to the city in search of a better future. This poignant dilemma of the marginalised in Punjab had hardly ever been depicted in Punjabi cinema in such bleak colours. The starkly real characters, who were actual villagers picked by the Director, sans makeup and costumes were in sharp contrast to the elaborate song and dance routines of contemporary Punjabi films. The stoicism of the marginalised Dharma and his family is almost like the misery of the Joads in The Grapes of Wrath, who are faced with intense economic hardships and are unable to cope with the demands of industrialisation. Chauthi Koot carried forward the mantle of Gurvinder Singh as a New Age Director, who changed the idiom of Punjabi cinema. It is one of the few films in the world of Punjabi cinema to focus on terrorism in the state but in a very muted way. Chauthi Koot, translated as the fourth direction, has as its strong point, subtlety which enhances the feel of terror engulfing the film. The characters are caught between the extremists on one side and the military forces on the other, ‘Chauthi Koot brings back the troubled phase of separatism in Punjab with a refreshing absence of political prevarication. The location and the characters are so truthful as to dissolve the distance between the screen and the audience’ PTI (2016). These films depicted ‘the other’ in true New Age terms and shifted the focus of audiences from the song, dance, and fight spectacle of conventional Punjabi cinema. They were minimalistic but not myopic and did not convey the sense of ‘plenty’ in their predecessors. The desire of Punjabis for ‘foreign’ is strongly reflected in
the films of the 2000s. Shot in Canada mostly, these films went on to increase
the number of prospective emigrants from Punjab. P.R., released in May, 2022, showcases the dream of almost every Punjabi
household in which atleast one member desires to
settle abroad permanently. Nabar (2017) translated as ‘rebel without a
cause’ depicted the ‘extreme fixation of
Punjab’s youth with the foreign lands and their desperate measures like selling
off their assets, home and property, even raising loans to acquire the green
card’ TNN. (2017). A film titled Kaneda released in late 2022. The title plays on
how the word Canada is pronounced in India and has become a part of Punjabi
vocabulary. Films like Chal Mera Putt also show how the entire Asian continent is
obsessed with this desire to leave their countries for greener pastures abroad.
It depicted the problems illegal immigrants face as they live nameless lives in
the shades and face constant threats from immigration authorities. The fear of
being deported looms large on their heads while they also support their families
back home. Both Indian and Pakistani Punjabis come together in this struggle
for livelihood. The Jatt protagonist abroad has a special task before him, the
preservation and upholding of cultural norms wherever he may be. With this evolution in themes and character, there has also
come about a distinct change in the aesthetics of Punjabi cinema. Sets,
costumes, locations and picturization techniques have seen a gradual change
from the amateurish efforts of the eighties to contemporary times. The song and
dance routine of Punjabi cinema is no longer an impromptu move around trees and
in fields. These have become highly choreographed with professional dancers and
exotic locations. Several period pieces like Rabb da Radio, Angrej, Lahoriye etc have paid special attention to costumes
and locations to give them authenticity and an air of genuineness. Highlighting
the locales which are popular these days, writer Sandeep Singh Sandhu says that
producers scout for locations which still have a rustic touch, ‘The south-Malwa region… this jungle and
its periphery evolved to be a preferred choice among film directors eager to
highlight the real Punjab and its culture through their movies. The natives’
traditional Punjabi lifestyle evokes interest among production houses of the
Punjabi cinema.’ The Majha region with cities like Amritsar and Gurdaspur and
have evolved more and are comparatively urbane. However, Chandigarh, Mohali and
their surrounding areas with educational institutions, shopping malls, fine
dining restaurants and lush roads continue to be a staple in recent movies. 5. The Economics of
Punjabi Cinema Regional cinema accounts for half of the total revenue of
Indian cinema, within this, two-thirds comes from South Indian cinema and the
rest from other regional cinemas. The Punjabi film industry is worth more than
Rs 500 crore today, with half of the costs being recovered overseas. A regional
industry worth a few lakhs has become a multi-million enterprise. Investment is
pouring in and there are record breaking returns. Punjabi films are hugely
popular in Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, western UP. After a
difficult period in the 80s and till mid90s, the turnaround came when Man Mohan
Singh, who had worked with Yash Raj films, made Jee Aayan Nu in 2002.
That Carry on Jatta 2 (2018) is the highest grossing Punjabi film ever,
says a lot about its audience. The film is light-hearted generic romantic
comedy with a successful music score. On the other hand, Chaar Sahibzaade made in Rs 20 crore garnered around Rs 70
crore, stressing how the Punjabi audience does want films related to religious
themes onscreen but several complicated theological issues do not support such
films. The younger generation especially responded to the film as it showed the
exemplary courage and bravery of the young sons of Guru Gobind Singh. Mass film
bookings were made by educational institutions for their students in theatres. 2019 was the landmark year of Punjabi cinema with films like Shadaa, Chal Mera Putt. The song Laung
Laachi from a film of the same title became the
first Punjabi song to get one billion views on Youtube.
Films like Siri do not see the light of the day easily as New Age cinema
in Punjab is not considered financially viable. Gurnaaz Kaur says Siri, ‘took over a year for him to releases
since getting funds for such subjects isn’t easy, highlights the agrarian
crisis, not just of small farmers, but, more importantly, of farm workers.’
Anmol Sidhu directed an unconventional film Jaggi (2021) based on
emotional relationships, bullying and mental harassment among Punjabi youth
deflating the myth of machismo. Expectedly, the film ran into financial rough
waters. He says that at one time the filming had to be stopped and he had to go
in for crowd funding to keep the project afloat, stressing that ‘for the growth
of cinema focus must shift from profits to risk-taking and experimentation.’
(Sheetal). Anhe Ghore
da Daan was funded by NFDC, otherwise it may never have reached its
audience. Today, film makers are more ready to spend on location,
cinematography, costumes, and packaging. Technicians and experts are sourced
from Mumbai to add polish to the production. Successful production houses like
Eros International, BIG Pictures, UTV Motion Pictures, T-Series, Tips
Industries are taking a keen interest in Punjabi cinema and investing huge
amounts banking on the current upward trend in cinema going audiences. Kamal
Jain of Eros International says, ‘It’s a potential market which cannot be
ignored. Multiplexes emerging in small towns are also fuelling the growth of
Punjabi cinema.’ (Subramanian). Evidently, multiplexes with their overall
experience of shopping, dining, and recreating have added to the growth of
Punjabi cinema. Today, no Hindi Film is complete without a remixed Punjabi
song, with the Punjabi music industry being India’s largest non-film music
industry. Themes of super hit Hindi films like Dilwale Dulhaniya le Jayenge, Pardes, Veer Zaara, Rab ne Miladi Jodi, Singh is
King, Maachis, Jab We Met, Tanu Weds
Manu, Udta Punjab, Vicky Donor, 2 States, Rocky aur
Rani Ki Prem Kahani are either based in Punjab or touch upon Punjab in
their content. It is obvious that audience acceptance of Punjab and Punjabi
music is high in India and abroad and there is a strong linkage between
Bollywood and Punjabi cinema. The addition of a state-of-the-art film city in
Punjab could open new frontiers for New Age Punjabi cinema, providing
infrastructural support and resources needed for film production. 6. Conclusion Films have always represented society, culture, values, and norms of their stakeholders. Through this analysis of themes like cultural glorification of the feudal set up, patriarchy and women in Punjabi cinema, issues of diaspora and the migrant experience, it can be gauged how it has taken five decades for Punjabi cinema to move out of the two generic traps, of slapstick comedy and cultural glorification, into which it fell. The New Age cinema of today, with one odd exception like Marhi da Deeva in the past, emerged from the deep schism of the angry Jatt and the comic hero. The normal human being with universal emotions like uncertainty, passivity and helplessness challenged the impetuous characters shown earlier. There is a certain gravity and solemnity in the characters seen in Punjab’s new cinema with movies like Anhe Ghore da Daan, Chauthi Koot, Nabar, and Jaggi. They are not blood-thirsty, vengeful men ready to kill or be killed. But, these films are made for a niche audience. This is the real Punjab today, though the music industry of the state presents an entirely different image. The stakeholders of Punjabi cinema must realise that they can no longer separate the image from the imagination. The audience now is much more aware and mature in this internet-crazy world where comparisons can be made quickly. The fact is that Punjab’s film and music industries are so inter-twined that they present a complicated unravelling beyond the present scope. Online streaming platforms have provided a new avenue to film makers in the form of short films and web series, which have picked up the third option for their themes. The recent success of Tabbar (2021), a web series focused on the family and what drug trade and mental health issues do to that family. The culture of Punjab may have achieved global recognition through Punjab’s films, but it is time for a serious re-look and re-orientation for writers, producers, directors, and actors Sheetal (2022). Film festivals in India and abroad have recognized New Age Punjabi cinema in a big way, honouring talented directors like Rajeev Kumar. Navtej Sandhu, with short films like Nooran (2013), Kambdi Deorri (2014) and Gawachi Pagg (2016) made a mark at the Cannes Film Festival. These were films with themes which were not the norm in Punjabi cinema, as can be seen from the study presented here and presented an alternative understanding of Punjabi culture and society. In the future too Punjabi cinema will be a more global phenomenon due to a strong diasporic presence. The stakes are high now and Punjabi cinema needs to re-invent itself with experimentation, professionalism, and a new narrative. 7. Notes Titles of Punjabi films translated in alphabetical order to
convey meaning, the word Jatti meaning the female.
For names ‘N’ has been used. Afsar – The Officer Anakh Jattan Di – The Jatts’
Pride Anhe Ghore da Daan – Alms of the Blind Horse Angrej – The Foreigner Ardab Mutiyaraan – Spirited Women Asa Nu Maan Watna
Da – Pride in the Homeland Badla Jatti Da – Revenge of the Jatti Balbiro Bhabhi - N,
the sister-in-law Bambukat – The
Motorcycle/Bike Batwara – The Partition/
Division Bikkar Bai
Sentimental – N, the Sentimental Chaar Sahibzaade – The
Four Princes Chal Mera Putt – Come on Son Chaman
– The Sky Chann
Pardesi – The
Distant Beloved Channa Sachi Muchi – Beloved, the
Truth Please Chano- N Chauthi Koot – The Fourth
Direction Chhevan Dariya – The Sixth River Daana Paani - Livelihood Dastaar- The Turban Des Hoyaa
Pardes – Unfamiliar Homeland Dil Apna Punjabi – Punjabi At Heart Dukh Bhanjan Tera Naam – Thou Are the Saviour
(scriptural origin) Gawachi Pagg – The Lost Turban Gelo -
N Gudiyaan Patole – Dolls and Doll Houses Haani – The Peer Husn
ka Daku – The
Beauty and the Bandit Ishq Garaari –
Stuck
in Love Jagga Daku – N Bandit Jaggi - N Jatt Jeona Morh - N Jatt Soormay – The
Valiant Jatt Jatt te Zameen – The Jatt and Land Jee Aayan Nu - Welcome Jija Ji – Brother-in-Law Jor Jatt Da – The Might of the Jatt Kambdi Deorri – The Trembling Threshold Kankan
de Ohle – Beyond the Fields Lachhi - N Lahoriye – Of Lahore Lakh Pardesi Hoye – Foreigner no More Lambardarni - The Lady Squire Laung da Lishkara – The Shine of the
Nose Ornament Mahaul Theek Hai – The Times are Right Man Jeete Jag Jeet – Conquer Your Own Mind, then the World
(scriptural origin) Marhi da Deeva – The Light on the Tomb Maula
Jatt – N, the Jatt Mehndi Shagna Di – The Auspicious
Henna Mel Karade
Rabba – May God Unite Us Mele
Mitran de – The
Celebration of Friends Mitti - Earth Munde UK De – Boys of the UK Mundri – The Ring Nabar – The Rebel Nanak Dukhiya Sab Sansar – O Nanak, The Entire World is in Pain
(scriptural origin) Nanak
Naam Jahaaz Hai – O Nanak, You are the Saviour (scriptural origin) Nooran - N Pheray – The
Nuptials Pind
di kudi – The Lass from the Village Pooja Kiven aa – How are you Pooja Punjab Bolda – Punjab Speaks Putt Jattan De – The Sons of Jatts Qurbani Jatt Di – The Sacrifice of the Jatt Rabb da Radio – God’s Radio Rakaans – The Womenfolk Saal
Solvan Chadya – On the Threshold of Youth Saavi
- N Sardari – Of Sardars Sarpanch – The Headman/Squire Satluj de Kande – On
the Banks of Satluj Saunkan Saunkane – The Co-Wives Sawa
Lakh se Ek Ladaaun – The One will Triumph over Lakhs (scriptural
origin) Shadaa – The Bachelor Shaheed
– The Martyr Shaheed-e-Mohabbat Boota Singh – N, The Martyr Siri – The Farm Hand Tabbar – The Family Teri
Meri Ik Jindri – We are Soulmates Til Til da Lekha – The Exact Account Vairi Jatt – The Vengeful Jatt Yaari Jatt Di – The Friendship of the Jatt
CONFLICT OF INTERESTS None. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS None. REFERENCES Garg, B. R. (2017, August 13). Post-1947, India’s First Punjabi Film was Released in Lahore. The Tribune. Retrieved on May 16, 2023. Kaur, G. (2020, October 01). National Award-Winning Director Rajeev Kumar’s Upcoming Movie, Siri, Highlights the Plight of Farm Workers in Punjab. The Tribune. Retrieved on May 31, 2023. Krishna, A. (2020, August 1). Chann Pardesi- Reuniting with the Cult Classic. The Daily Eye. Retrieved on May 19, 2023. Lotay, G. (2019, August 25). Deepti Naval on 'Marhi Da Deeva' As it Completes 30 Years of Release. Retrieved on May 19, 2023. Nasrali, B. (2010). Punjabi Cinema Te Sahit Samkali Sandarbh. Ludhiana: Chetna Parkashan. PTI (2016, August 5). 'Chauthi Koot' Review: It will Stun You Without an Effort. Retrieved on May 25, 2023. Rajadhyaksha, A. (2016). Indian Cinema- A Very Short Introduction. Oxford, UK: OUP. https://doi.org/10.1093/actrade/9780198723097.001.0001 Roy, V. C. (2014, May 20). The Engineer Who Produces Blockbuster Punjabi Films. Retrieved on May 23, 2023. Sheetal (2022, May 05). Eye on Social Change. Tribune Lifestyle. Retrieved on May 31, 2023. Singh, G. (2014, June 22). Reel vs Real Punjab. Retrieved on May 30, 2023. Singh, J., Watts, A., & Khanna, M. (2016, May 8). The Gangs of Prosperous Punjab. Retrieved on May 20, 2023 Subramanian, A., & Anand, J, (2014, February 28). Punjab Takes Centre-Stage with its own String of Movie Hits. Business Today. TNN. (2017, January 17). ‘Nabar’ Wins National Award for Punjabi. Retrieved on May 24, 2023. Times of India. (2020, May 7). This Day That Year: 16 years ago on this day Neeru Bajwa’s Debut Punjabi Movie ‘Asa Nu Maan Watna Da’ was Released. Retrieved on May 21, 2023.
[1] Operation
Bluestar was launched by the Indian Army in 1984, resulting in significant
damage to the holiest place for Sikhs, the Golden Temple in Amritsar, followed
by the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Large scale riots
targeting and killing Sikhs happened across North India, leading to the
emergence of radicalism.
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