Missing the hit

Jasmine Singh

This year’s Punjabi film can be neatly slotted into three categories, these are-  good films, experimental films and flop films. You’d be surprised to know that there isn’t a single Punjabi film that can be called a clear cut smash hit of 2016. If this an alarm sign, it looks like the filmmakers haven't noticed it yet! At the same time, this year we could see Punjabi cinema going the Bollywood way when it came to release dates of the films. This year we saw a at least two Punjabi films release on the same date, towards the end of the year, this has almost become    a phenomenon.Whose loss, and who gains from this trend, we wonder? 

A good effort 

Even though we had some exceptionally good films this year, none of them can be called as a smashing hit from the word go! Nevertheless, Punjabi films like , Channo Kamli Yaar Di, Ardaas, Love Punjab, Bambukat, Sardaarji 2 and Nikka Zaildar can be some rated as some of the best films of 2016. Out of this lot too, two films, Ardaas directed by Gippy Grewal starring the best of actors of Punjabi cinema and Love Punjab, starring superhit jodi of Amrinder Gill and Sargun Mehta, (released on the same date) have been a box office success, both in India and abroad. While Ardaas, scores points on  the content chapter, Love Punjab offers wholesome entertainment.

The same holds true for Neeru Bajwa and Binnu Dhillon starrer Channo Kamli Yaar di, a women centric film that received critical acclaim. 

On the other hand, a film like Sardaarji 2 drew crowd because of the one and only, Diljit Dosanjh. As per box office reports, Sardaarji 2 could not recreate the magic of Sardaar ji. Closing on a good note, are Bambukat and Nikka Zaildar starring the star -on -the- block Ammy Virk. Both the films have been rated as entertaining films, with Bambukat offering a new kind of story. 

It was an experiment 

2016 also belongs to experimental films. None of them could translate into box office success, but, they still showed us that Punjabi films are much more than laughs! Films like Kulraj Randhawa starrer Needhi Singh, Jaspinder Cheema starrer Gelo, Bathinda Express, Dulla Bhatti, Kartar Cheema starrer Miti Na Farol Jogiya, Harish Verma starrer Vaapsi had a strong storyline. They failed on the execution front. This year, Punjabi cinema also saw at least three women centric films, which is a good number, considering this industry is dominated by male singer actors. 

It's bad 

Now, this is the not so good part of Punjabi films made in 2016. This category houses films that have been an utter failure, neither did they offer content, nor good acting or direction. Topping this category is Punjabi film Daara, directed by Parveen Kumar. The film boasted of a battery of actors. The next film in this category is, Teshan. The  film starred one of the the most loveable names of the Punjabi music industry, Happy Raikoti, but still it got a thumbs down at the box office. Roshan Prince and Mankirat Aulakh starrer Main Teri Tu Mera, Mahie Gill and Roshan Prince starrer Aatishbaazi Ishq, Sippy Gill starrer Tiger, 25 Kille, Harbhajan Mann starrer Saadey CM Saab are some of the other films that could not clear the test, and failed miserably!  

Year 2016 belongs to Punjabi filmmakers who tried to think out of the box. Hoping this experimentation continues in 2017 as well, with better execution. 

PS: Punjabi film Zorawar highlighted as Yo Yo Honey Singh's comeback did nothing for the singer nor for the film. Chaar Sahibzaade- Rise of Banda Singh Bahadur, too could not recreate the magic of its prequel Chaar Sahibzaade.

jasmine@tribunemail.com