Kalyaani Singh, writer and director of the Punjabi film Nanak Naam Jahaz Hai, says the process of filming was one of devotion
Vikrant Parmar
Nanak Naam Jahaz Hai… In 1969, this Punjabi film made quite a mark and drew audiences to the theatres in huge numbers, some even reaching the venues barefeet! Cut to 2024 — an avid writer and director says she waited for four years to receive the title and when she finally got it, there was no looking back. Meet Kalyaani Singh, the filmmaker whose movie by the same name was released on November 15.
“It has been a long journey — of struggles and challenges — for this one, but the end product is worth all the effort. It’s a film about family values and I urge every family out there to watch it in theatres. In the Punjabi film industry, this one will break all stereotypes,” she opens up.
Stereotypes sure are a given in any industry, right? “Yes, that’s sad but true. However, one needs to move beyond them and carve a separate niche. Filmmaking is the same everywhere, in every region, but the treatment can be different.”
Since childhood, Kalyaani loved watching films and participated in cultural programmes organised in her school. “I learnt Kathak from Gopi Krishna and received training in classical singing from Shambhu Sen. I also had a special interest in art, cinema and music, which further increased when I met my husband, Maann Singh, who was active in Hindi journalism. It was from him that I got inspired to write,” she informs.
A journalist when she started her career, Kalyaani, a writer at heart and by passion, shifted her focus to the audio-visual media and began with ad films. Later, as she gained fame, Kalyaani launched her own company and was associated with films like Gunhegar, Raja Bhaiya, Krishnavatar, Why I Killed Gandhi? and more. She also earned accolades after producing a serial Aashiyana, which she also wrote and directed, for Doordarshan. “It has been a journey of faith for me and I am happy that the Almighty has been kind,” she shares.
Coming back to the film, Nanak Naam Jahaz Hai, she adds, “This movie is a dream project and I have nurtured it since the beginning, even imagining the characters who would essay the roles I etched. When Mukesh Rishi and Vindhu Dara Singh came on board, it all seemed ordained. Even during the writing process, it felt as if I was surrounded by a divine presence that kept guiding me through this journey. And what better day for the film’s release than Gurpurb! It is a clean movie that spreads the message of faith.”
Speaking about ‘clean’, the conversation veers off to the OTT world. Kalyaani says, “The OTT space is wonderful, as it provides a range of opportunities for talented artistes to shine. Having said that, bold scenes and abusive language in some of the series as well as movies — sometimes there without any actual need I feel — make watching them with the family an impossible task. That needs a correction, but the small screen of OTT is sure giving the big screen of cinema a run for its money.”
Coming up next for her is a web series, Ram Rameti, which discloses lesser-known facts from the epic Ramayana that she is eager to reveal to the world. Kalyaani, who has taken training in film direction from Hollywood director Martin Corsi, intends to shoot this one in as many as forty-nine countries! “This series will soon see the light of the day and depict the Ramayana in new light. Interestingly, in this one, Rameti stands for Sita. Many truths will startle and amaze the audience once it is out.” Awaited!
