As Gippy Grewal launches Ardaas Sarbat De Bhale Di teaser, he says the story came to him out of nowhere and in 15 minutes his mind processed it all

Gurnaaz

Ardaas, meaning prayer in English, became more than just a spiritual act for Gippy Grewal — it transformed into a successful Punjabi film that reshaped his career. In 2016, Gippy shifted gears from acting and production to writing and direction. The reason was to become a part of meaningful storytelling.

Their Ardaas…

Gurpreet Ghuggi: The act of ardaas has taught me how to live properly and in order to do so, we should not complain and be content with what we have.

Jasmin Bhasin: I felt very blessed when I was approached for this role. I think that was the result of my ardaas. It was universe’s plan.

Gurpreet Bhangu: Everyone should do ardaas. If you have made a mistake, repent for it before it’s too late. Don’t do it for yourself, do it for the people around you.

— Yashita Mishra

The first installment, Ardaas resonated deeply with audiences, prompting the sequel Ardaas Karaan in 2019, which was equally well-received. Now, five years later, Gippy is back with Ardaas Sarbat De Bhale Di, the third part of this much-loved franchise.

After giving multiple flops, I decided to take a break.

I said no to some films because I wanted to try something new. When I got the story idea for Ardaas, I went to a few writers but they refused to work on it. Rejection turned me into a writer. — Gippy Grewal

The story for the latest installment came to Gippy most unexpectedly, he explains with the intent to highlight God’s will. At the launch of its teaser, Gippy says, “This story was the toughest to execute but it came to me in 15 minutes. I was sitting with my friend and we were talking about what to do next. He asked me if I had a story in mind. I said no. We left the discussion there. Exactly 15 minutes later, and I am not lying, I had this story in my mind. Next thing, we sat and discussed it for seven hours straight. Within days, we were working on it.”

The film boasts of an ensemble cast that includes Gippy Grewal, Gurpreet Ghuggi, Jasmine Bhasin, Nirmal Rishi, Prince Kanwaljit Singh, Raghveer Boli, Seema Kaushal, Rupinder Rupi, Gurpreet Bhangu among others.

Most of them have been on this journey from the first instalment of the film. Jasmin Bhasin, who is the lead actress, is among the few new entrants. And for her, this movie means a lot because, “Getting a chance for the first time can be attributed to luck or good networking, but when someone is willing to work with you again, that shows they trust your craft and like your work ethics. I feel honoured to work opposite Gippy again. He is one of the biggest Punjabi stars and I couldn’t have asked for more,” says a happy Jasmine. The entire cast and crew share a similar sentiment of gratitude for the film and their experiences. Each one of them believes it’s their ardaas for good work that translated into becoming a part of the project.

Gurpreet Ghuggi, who has seen all the phases of Punjabi film industry, talks about his role. “These days, we hear a lot about motivational speakers. I think in Ardaas or Ardaas Karaan or this third part now, my character is a kind of motivational speaker but his knowledge isn’t bookish, it’s his life lessons.” But to see Gippy wear the director’s hat, Ghuggi had his doubts. “At the start I was a bit skeptical because it’s such a serious subject. I thought it wasn’t his genre. Comedy or a light film felt more like his genre to me then.”

Things changed in no time. Ghuggi adds, “My very first take of the first scene gave me this confidence that I was in safe hands. He focused on such minute details that I started enjoying working with him right on the first day. Another thing I really appreciate is that he is not stubborn as a director. He listens to his actors and wherever required, he brings changes.”

Ardaas Sarbat De Bhale Di is releasing on September 13.