Punjabi superstar Gippy Grewal spoke about the representation of Sikhs in Bollywood films. In an exclusive interview with India Today, he mentioned that his film 'Akaal' is an important film because it expands the Sikh representation on the screen. He also commented on Karan Johar's Dharma Productions teaming up with a Punjabi film for the first time.
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00:00Hello everyone, this is Vinita Kumar. You're watching me on India Today. So you know film
00:08industry is expanding. Nothing is regional anymore. Everything is pan India. In the show
00:13today we are going to discuss one such film, Akaal, which though has its roots in the Punjabi
00:19cinema, it is going big. It is going pan India. Please welcome the team of the film with me,
00:26Nimrat Khaira and Guggi Bajre. Thank you so much. As I mentioned, it is going big in Punjab.
00:34You have to tell me, this is not a fluff. This is not any other glossy film. This is
00:41something serious. How do you make sure that when people are judging you, when people are
00:48watching this, people are happy. People are going to respond to it in a positive way.
00:53That you are not giving them anything vulnerable. How do you make sure that this is as good
00:58as it looks?
01:23The stories that require money are always good stories. But while making a film, it
01:29is very good and while making it, it is bad. Because otherwise, if you see a film on paper
01:33that this is rubbish, there is such a big team, then no one spends money on rubbish.
01:38So we made a film like that. This was the strength of our whole team. Sometimes the
01:44director wants to make a film or sometimes the producer wants to make a film. Actors
01:49only come for this purpose that we are getting money, we are doing our job. So in this film
01:54there was nothing like that. All the actors, writers, directors, all the people who are
01:59connected with the spot boys, they were all on this motive that with this film, we feel
02:04that Punjabi cinema will grow. If it grows, then we will make more big films. They were
02:10on the same motive. When the film was ready, then Dharma saw it. He felt that this film
02:17has potential, it is a big film. So Karan ji, Apoorva ji, all of them were with the film.
02:22They were our partners. So now because of them, the film is being released on a large
02:27scale in Hindi. So that's why these things have become possible. Because with a clear
02:31intention, we tried to present a clear film.
02:35You know Guppy, I know your passion for cinema and I know your passion about taking Punjabi
02:42cinema to the level which is extraordinary. And we have discussed that in the past. But
02:47tell me this, is this also, when you make a film like Akaal and you made Ardaas and
02:52all these spiritual films, is this your idea of giving back to the community?
02:58Absolutely, because I feel that there are many subjects on which we can work. But the
03:06reason being that there are many subjects which are very good, but there is no budget.
03:11So that's why we felt that we should make our plot like that. Ardaas is also one of
03:16them. So films like that should be made. In today's date, no social drama was being
03:21made. If it was made, then it wouldn't have worked. When we made it, people were telling
03:26us that in this zone where you are making Carry On Jatta, you feel that only Ardaas
03:31will work. But people saw it. I always say that when a film is good or bad, it doesn't
03:36matter whether it is a genre or not. I watch all kinds of films, but I want the film to
03:40be good. So I felt that this subject is a big subject. And definitely, like you said,
03:46there is a payback for the community that you are making a good thing. And on top of
03:51that, if you are a fan of India, I feel that if the film goes there too, then for that
03:56audience too, who don't watch Punjabi films, only watch Hindi, this is a totally new subject
04:01for them too. Because even Bollywood has never made a film on such characters. So if Bollywood
04:06has made films about Sikhs, then there will be more films about the army. And without
04:11that, nothing has been made. So I think this subject was very good. And it is also new
04:16for everyone.
04:27As everybody has been accepting and saying. In your resume, when you look back, your journey,
04:33your entire film career, where does it stand?
04:56And anyway, if we talk about our Sikh history, from which these characters are inspired,
05:02then there have been many talented women in Sikh history, who have made a very big contribution.
05:09And sir's vision has been so strong when he has written that he has not left that thing
05:14that a strong woman's portrait. Because we have a lot of examples. Bibi Sharan Kaur ji,
05:19Mahi Pago ji, we have a lot of names. So portraying such a character who is so powerful
05:26in herself, I am extremely happy.
05:31Guggi sir, congratulations.
05:33Thank you so much.
05:34And you know, there is a whole section out there, who I think admires your collaboration
05:40with Gipi. This is also another attempt, I think, where you are bringing something which
05:47does not let you confined to that comedy space. You know, another attempt.
05:52Tell me, when you and Gipi are sitting together, the creative conversation that takes place
05:58on a film, on a script, on a scene, on a dialogue, what is that? What is that in BTS?
06:04When we are making some comedy, then we talk about comedy only.
06:09And we actually exchange the ideas and we just explore the things we can do in that movie.
06:15When we talk about this kind of stuff, then we take the things very seriously.
06:21Because we need to know about the history and the value of the production,
06:26what we are going to present on the screen and what the scale would be.
06:31Right.
06:32And what authenticity should be in the making. That is the most important thing.
06:37Especially when we made Arthaas, because that was completely based on the teachings of Guru Granth Sahib ji.
06:44So, we need to be very careful. So, one step up when we make Akaal,
06:52then our first concern was the actual history. And we should not cross the boundaries of the history.
06:59Though we are talking about the fiction, we are making fiction, we are talking about the fictional characters,
07:07but we should be aware about our boundaries.
07:10And undoubtedly, Akaal is going to reconnect our present generation and our coming generations with their roots.
07:22Actually, the problem is this, we are missing in our families, we don't discuss history.
07:28We don't talk about the glory of the history in our families.
07:33So, what we talk about are reels and these bloody stuff, which is very actually taking the society in a different way.
07:45So, when we talk about glory of our history, then I think our generation is going to learn something
07:54and definitely they will reconnect to their roots.
08:00To all of you, in fact, have all your approvals been managed?
08:05Have you taken approvals from all the bodies? Have you shown the film to the Gurdwara Committee?
08:10Actually, what happens to me is, when we make Arthaas and other films, we pay a lot of attention to the film's criteria.
08:21So, that's why if someone asks me what this story is, I say it's a fictional story.
08:28We have set a period, around the time of Maharaj Ranjit Singh, around 1840, after his death,
08:36that this is a story of that time, what were the conditions of Punjab at that time.
08:40So, the story is based on that.
08:42So, when people who know about history, when they see this film, they will think that yes, this happened,
08:48then I only knew that what kind of people they were, their name was this, their name has also changed, our things have also changed.
08:54We have kept it in fiction, but we have kept it in a circle.
08:57We don't go wrong anywhere for anything.
09:00And this is the most important thing for us.
09:03Arthaas film is more important than this.
09:06For that, it is a lot.
09:08Because we do a lot of things in it, for which we have to show things to many people.
09:14But we do it in a very circular way.
09:18And the last question you asked to Kukiba ji ji, that when you sit, what discussion do you have?
09:25So, if a person sees my discussion with him, that when a comedy film is made,
09:32then after that I tell him that I am going to have a discussion with him about Akal,
09:37then he will say, don't go, we will make you flog.
09:39So, if a person sees how Akal's discussion is with him, then he will say that this man cannot do comedy.
09:45So, I felt that this is a different personality.
09:48Because this is not the same Gurpi who sits with you in Akal's session.
09:55So, I sit with many people for a film.
10:00The films that I am making, like the Arthaas series or Akal, no one else is making such a subject.
10:08So, even after doing a lot of research, when I sit,
10:12I tell him 20 things and he tells me 200 more.
10:17So, I take those 200 things home.
10:22So, after 3 months, I bring a new story from him that I have written something new.
10:28So, he tells me 200 more.
10:31So, our stories are being made like this.
10:33That's a wonderful creative collaboration.
10:35Everybody should look forward to it.
10:37We love that, definitely.
10:39Gurpi, you mentioned Karan, you mentioned Dharma in your previous answer.
10:44I want to understand this.
10:46Dharma, this is also the first Punjabi collaboration of Dharma Productions as well.
10:51People used to ask us, when are you doing this?
10:54So, we said that this is the debut of Dharma.
10:58So, my question was that when Dharma backs this film, of course, this becomes bigger.
11:04But I want to know if you had a conversation with Karan Johar.
11:08Of course, he has written a lot of big posts on Twitter and Instagram.
11:13But personally, did you have a conversation where you could make him understand what this means to you?
11:18No, not at all.
11:20Because when our deal was not locked, when we sat down, we had a long conversation about the film.
11:29Because I don't think that when you are collaborating with someone, you have to know each other.
11:35It's not like work is work.
11:37As I said earlier, this film is not work for us.
11:41It's a lot for us. It's our pride.
11:43So, it should get the right place.
11:46It's not like the film is coming, so it's coming.
11:49So, we sat down to talk about it.
11:51So, the respect he showed for us, the way he understood this product, the things about it.
11:57We didn't even tell him when we launched the trailer.
12:01Whatever he said, he said it from his heart.
12:05And even now, when we started the Punjab promotion, he said that he will also go to Punjab.
12:13So, we will go to Punjab.
12:15I have never been there for such a promotion.
12:18So, we will go there.
12:19We will tell everyone.
12:20I will also go with you.
12:21So, he is going on a tour with us.
12:23He is coming to Delhi.
12:24He is going there as well.
12:25He is going everywhere.
12:26That's wonderful.
12:27I think this is the kind of collaboration and the spirit that we need in the industry.
12:31I think as a united front.
12:34So, congratulations on that note.
12:36I think this is such a wonderful product.
12:38Everybody should see it.
12:39All the best.
12:40And again, congratulations.
12:42Thank you so much.