Gippy Grewal decision to cast his son Shinda in ‘Shinda Shinda No Papa’ was rooted in their shared experiences

Gurnaaz

Shinda Shinda No Papa, Punjabi cinema’s recent offering, has captured the hearts of audiences with its honest exploration of parenthood, generational gaps, familial dynamics, and the bonds that keep us together. At its helm is the versatile Gippy Grewal, whose vision and personal experiences led to this film that has made waves at the box office.

The actor opens up about the journey of creating Shinda Shinda… and the impact it has had on him as both a filmmaker and a parent. At the heart of the narrative is Gippy’s son, Shinda, whose on-screen portrayal also reflects their real-life relationship.

This isn’t Shinda’s debut; he has already won many a heart with his charm and screen presence before, to which Gippy says, “I feel really proud about it, but I had no such plan to make him an actor. He hasn’t taken any training or attended workshops; he is a natural.” The decision to cast his son wasn’t planned but rather an organic choice, rooted in their shared experiences. Gippy feels Shinda brings with him a sense of authenticity and innocence that resonates with audiences. “As an actor, this is the first time we are working together,” Gippy says. “But I’ve seen how he connects with everyone. During the final promotions of Shinda Shinda, he entered the stage doing cartwheels, shook hands with people, took photos. I was impressed by his confidence.”

But does Shinda want to pursue acting as he grows up? That doesn’t even come to this kid’s mind. He is doing it as the responsibility of being Gippy Grewal’s son. “When I ask him what he wants to become, he always says ‘I’ll be a basketball player’. As a parent, I am supportive of whatever he wants,” Gippy talks about his upbringing and that of children in today’s time. So, which one scores better? “Both are the right ways. The difference is how our parents brought us up was according to the times they were living in, and how we are bringing our children up is shaped by the needs of today. As kids, our parents would seldom explain things in detail. In fact, they would often just shoo us away and we dared not say a word. But you can’t do that to a kid now. Children have so many questions these days, and you are supposed to answer.” On the evolving dynamics within families, Gippy quotes a scene from the movie to explain his point. “In a scene, Shinda asks his grandfather when he would spank my father, did he go to the police? And the grandfather tells him, no, he didn’t feel the need to go to the police because he had so many family members to go to, your uncle or your grandmother would become police for him.” The actor continues, “Today, we have nuclear families, so with whom does he share his complaint. Every child wants that kind of support system to feel heard and understood, which is missing among families these days.”