London | Punjabi cinema is experiencing a welcome boom and has emerged among the fastest growing of all regional films across India, says British-Punjabi actor Geeta Basra.
The actor, known for performances in films such as "The Train" and "Dil Diya Hai", is making a comeback to movies after almost a decade with “Mehar”, helmed by acclaimed writer-director Rakesh Mehta.
Basra said audiences are getting tired of repetitive, formula-driven films. Instead, they are now embracing fresh and original content, something Punjabi cinema is offering.
“Punjabi cinema is the fastest growing out of all the regional films. I think Punjabi cinema has really taken off in such a brilliant direction that so many beautiful films are being produced today,” Basra told PTI in an interview.
“People are bored of the same kind of films and really embracing the fresh content that's coming through. And Punjab cinema as a whole, I think, is one where people are actually going to the theatres to watch films. This is the beauty of our cinema,” she added.
"Mehar" by writer-director Rakesh Mehta will see Basra take on the role of a supportive wife named Simmi to an embattled husband Karamjit Singh – played by British-Indian businessman Raj Kundra, who is making his acting debut.
“It is a complete entertainment film with all the ingredients – whether it's struggles, laughter, sadness, relationships, we've got it all covered. And Simmi, my character, is a very relatable girl who will do anything for her family and loved ones. She is the epicentre of the whole film,” Basra said.
“It's not just for the Punjabis. Even non-Punjabis will enjoy this film because this is a kind of cinema that people have been waiting for. There's a very nice social message too, which is relevant to us all – the fact that second chances are possible, so we must never ever give up in life,” she added.
The 41-year-old artist, who returned to her “happy place” in front of the camera after a break to focus on her marriage and children, credits the support system offered by her cricketer-turned-politician husband Harbhajan Singh for the comeback.
“Generally, I feel women are superwomen. We just inherently know how to balance life. But the most important part for a woman to go back after having kids is to have a good support system and I'm lucky in that sense, that I have a great husband who supported me, who has said that 'You do what you have to do, and I'm there to look after the kids',” she said.
“While I was shooting, he was with the kids and while he's working, I'm there looking after the house and the kids. That's what life is, and that's what relationships are, that you grow together,” she said.
Basra, who was born in Portsmouth on the south coast of England, divides her time between Mumbai and visiting her family in the UK.
With the bulk of the shooting of "Mehar" spread across little villages of northern India, she said it was a blessing to be able to immerse herself into Punjabi culture, including at the famed Manikaran Sahib Gurdwara in Himachal Pradesh.
“In fact, ours was the first film that got permission to shoot in Manikaran Sahib, which feels very blessed. ‘Mehar' is such a positive, beautiful title and to start a film on that note of blessings is what we all need in life. It's blessings that work miracles. It's blessings that take us forward and help us through difficult times,” she said.
Post "Mehar", Basra is all set for her return to Bollywood with a Hindi film tentatively titled ‘Awasthi vs Awasthi' and then a South Indian project.
