Notes of the land

Punjabi actress Delbar Arya, who has recently collaborated with Gurnazar Chattha for a song titled Jaam, instantaneously connected with the notes as she believes everyone has gone through some sort of heartbreak at some point of time in their lives. “Gurnazar is a very good singer and has a unique sense of music. We had a great time and laughed a lot on the sets of Jaam. The song is even more special since it’s got a classical touch to it,” she says.

Her journey in the Punjabi music and film industry have shaped Delbar’s artistic identity. “To begin with, the Punjabi film industry enriched me with a beautiful language. I learned Punjabi from a scratch — learnt to read and write in Gurmukhi script so that I was aware of the correct pronunciation, and develop a feeling for every word and sentence. And, of course, with language comes a whole new world to discover. I am grateful to the people of Punjab and the Punjabi film industry,” she adds.

Delbar credits her family for all that she has achieved so far. “My whole family is artistic, so since childhood I have experienced arts in depth. As a result, complex emotions come very naturally to me,” says Delbar, who believes the revival of old-school music and singing is good news for the Punjabi industry. As for her upcoming projects, she says, “In my upcoming film Damdaa I have played the role of a village girl, which was an absolutely new experience. There are a few more projects lined up.” To the aspiring musicians out there, her advice is simple, “It’s all about authenticity. Be 100 per cent yourself because this is what the world wants to see.”