All in the Family

It is the topic of family matters that director Suresh Varma has taken up on priority basis in his latest offering— Rishtey (Indya Records). A telefilm released on DVD,this short Punjabi film,produced by Shamshad Ali,is all about joint family system,jealousies,love,relationships and addiction among other staples of family drama. “The film is inspired by the lives that we see around us. Rishtey is a social Punjabi tele-film and it’s about how families break up and relationships change because of circumstances and social evils,” says Ali Rajpura,who plays the lead role in the film and is also the writer for it. Rajpura plays the good son,who is sincere and works hard,while his father and brother take to alcohol,sell off their assets and cut him off due to jealousy. “A strong family provides a solid foundation for one’s growth and what better medium than a film to tell it,” says Rajpura. Known for his Punjabi writings including Lok Gathaavan Da Baadshan – Kuldeep Manak – Jeevni,Punjabi Bhasha Da Bhavikh and many others,that have been translated in English and Urdu langauages,Rajpura also works for a radio channel that airs its shows in Germany. Next in line for him is penning lyrics. “Not the ones that talk about drugs,guns or girls,but which are traditional and earthy,” he avers. He has researched and written extensively on folk songs and even documented the Wadda Ghallughara (the second Sikh holocaust of 1762). He has penned the lyrics of Rishtey along with Romi Gharame Wala. The film also stars Kamal Bath,Dilawar Siddhu,Harjinder Kaur Sadhar.