Sonam Bajwa is ready to get out of her carefully cultivated image of a true blue Punjaban to play a Haryanvi,and her co-star Ammy Virk is all praise for her effort to get into the skin ofher character

Gurnaaz

For a Punjabi movie, the title itself triggers interest. Kudi Haryane Val Di, says lead actor Ammy Virk, is as much about Haryana as it is about Punjab. “In fact, it has a pan-India appeal,” he adds. That’s delightfully aspirational.

Ammy calls his co-star Sonam Bajwa’s best performance till date. And that’s quite a statement, considering her body of work.

Sonam, for her part, says she has worked the hardest for this one in her 10-year-long career. “It wasn’t a Hindi film or a Haryanvi web series where we were all talking in the same language. Maybe, I wouldn’t have felt so nervous or pressurised in that situation. But after working in Punjabi films for a decade, playing a Haryanvi girl was challenging because the audience has a fixed mindset about artistes, and they’ve not seen me do this before. Playing this role was a big risk, but what is life if you don’t take risks?”

She also makes sure to appreciate Ammy when she adds, “Ammy is such an effortless actor; he makes everything look so easy. Be it an emotional scene or a comic act, he can pull off anything. Our bond of friendship aside, I am a huge fan of him as an actor.”

Seema Kaushal, who plays Ammy’s mother in the movie, raises the expectations even further. “Sonam has really given this movie her all. She focused on becoming the character, and that shines through in the movie,” she says.

Yashpal Sharma, who plays Sonam’s father, terms the filmmaking experience a joy. “The whole process was better than many Bollywood projects. This movie not only has masala but is rich in content as well. There are very few films that can pack all the elements; this one does so. It’s a light-hearted comedy with the right doses of emotion and romance,” he says.

Veteran actor Yograj Singh says even after so many years in the industry, he “had a lot to learn from Ammy and others in the team.” The admiration and respect are mutual. Ammy says, “Seventy per cent of comedy in the movie comes from Yograj.”

Team Kudi Haryane Val Di showers lavish praise for producer Pawan Gill for being completely involved and invested in the process and ‘taking really good care of everyone’. The movie, Gill says, depicts “Haryana-Punjab love; we have the same bloodline, outlook, culture. With time, some shifts have come, but the core is the same. That’s interesting and intriguing. We are looking forward to the movie.”

Like Sonam, Ammy, an established and bankable star now with several hits against his name, also finds himself high on the list of the much-admired. “He is very humble; he has no airs about himself. Even after being such a big star, he is one such person who would greet everyone on the set, ask about their well-being, and if you are working with him, just know that you will end up eating a lot because he enjoys feeding everyone,” says Kaushal.

She also has an insightful take on co-star Yograj Singh, “I’ve done many films with him. I used to be scared of him, but as you get to know him, you realise he is such a simple, down-to-earth person. The entire team was a delight to work with.”

While everyone talks about the movie experience and what has gone into its making, Honey Mattu wants to highlight the visionary director that Rakesh Dhawan is. Having previously worked with him, he says, “Be it Annhi Dea Mazaak Ae, Aaja Mexico Challiye, Chal Mera Putt, or for that matter any movie written or directed by him, all his films will have just the right amount of emotions, comedy, and there’s always a subject that needs mass attention. So, going by his style of storytelling, I can assure the audience there won’t be a dull moment in Kudi Haryane Val Di.”

Releasing on June 14, the trailer of Kudi Haryane Val Di does create a buzz, much like its title.