Shahkot fame director Rajiv Dhingra wants to make movies that either entertain or are inspirational
“In a world where conflict has become a norm, where the possibility of World War III is looming large, why should cinema be weaponised?” These are the sentiments of noted Punjabi director Rajiv Dhingra whose latest film Shahkot, a cross-border love story, came on the wings of love and harmony. Coming from the land of Guru Granth Sahib, he observes, “Love conquers all. We need to seek forgiveness for our excesses as well as forget and forgive others.”
Hence, whatever may be the political stance or reality, he would like to spread the message of love. Even though his next film happens to be on the complicated issue of the SYL canal, it will be more of a comment on the water crisis, which we are facing rather than a political imbroglio.
Clean entertainment is very difficult. It’s so easy to make people laugh through risqué and double- meaning humour.
Going into dark spaces isn’t his wont. If he dabbles into comedy as in Love Punjab, a social entertainer, his personal genre is to “make movies that either entertain or are inspirational. And ones which entire family can watch together.” Since he started his journey in the world of entertainment with Comedy Nights With Kapil, we wonder if he is envious of the dizzying heights of success of Kapil? He says, “Kapil and I have been friends since class nine and he is an inspiration.” But yes, he does rue that in India we don’t give enough credit to directors. “Especially, they often do not have copyright over their brainchild as was the case with Comedy Nights… which was an original show and not a remake of an international one. It has my name, on paper too, but the rights belong to the channel,” he laments.
Those were the days when Kapil and he had just landed in Mumbai and were not so clued into the dynamics of business of filmmaking. Rajiv might be a little more astute now, but asserts, “In this industry only dhake shahi works. Those who have an upper hand have the last word and the right to call the shots.” Thus, the only way forward for people like him is to turn a producer.
Of course, while makers often talk about how the path to Bollywood is no cakewalk, golden opportunity literally landed in his lap when Pankaj Saraswat, director of The Great Indian Laughter Challenge, saw his play Mirch Masala in Amritsar. Expectedly, the city of Golden Temple where he grew up has taught him much. “After all, it’s a city with a history of 100 years of theatre,” he adds. His alma mater, The Film and Training Institute of Patiala, too, was a learning ground. Yes, he did try to gain admission in the prestigious Film and Training Institute, Pune and also the National School of Drama. The failed attempts ignited a fire in his belly and deep desire not to follow the herd mentality. As Shahkot climaxed on a realistic note he reasons, “Post-Covid, thanks to the OTT boom, audiences’ tastes have changed dramatically and for them reality truly bites.”
Whether Punjabi cinema is keeping up with what the audience wants, he is more than upbeat about Pollywood’s future. He says, “The Punjabi film industry has suffered on two counts. After Partition, the industry shifted from Lahore and Amritsar to Bombay. Then the dark chapter of terrorism dealt a severe blow.”
And what does he make of the recent migration of Punjabi stars to Canada? Does it bode well for the industry? Once again he turns to his roots. He recounts the story associated with Guru Nanak Dev’s travels, as to how he blessed good people to disseminate and bad ones to stay stuck in the same village, for the fragrance of goodness must spread. “Punjab’s youth,’ he notes, ‘has expanded the map of Punjab. Today, we may feel our children have become Duleep Singh, alienated from their mitti. But in times to come this will be a great boon.”
As it is, Punjabi diaspora is providing a huge market to Punjabi cinema. He says, “Even star-driven Hindi movies find it difficult to earn Rs 50 crore. But many Punjabi films are doing business upward of the figure.”
As for Shahkot, he shares, “Considering it was singer Guru Randhawa’s acting debut, it did not fare badly. It cut even, thanks to digital and other rights.” Shahkot 2 is in the making and so is a film starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui in Hindi. As audiences turn language agnostic, he sincerely believes that big-ticket producers and makers will soon make films in Punjabi. “After all, Punjabi is such a beautiful language, just say two words like kavaan kavaan and it becomes a song,” says the man who simply loves Punjabi poetry. And, on his wish list are many projects on literary giants of the state that has nurtured his sensibility and sensitivity.
