Neeru Bajwa on Punjabi film industry: ‘Until we are professional, we are not going anywhere’

She added, “I wasn’t getting any film offers and when we produced our first film, I was pregnant at the time. We thought that we’ll make a small budget movie, do something different, we’ll put our heart and soul in it and let’s see what happens. And it was a success and after that I got Laung Laachi (2017).”

Neeru Bajwa has starred in several women-centric films that foreground women and their experiences. Not afraid of exploring these themes that hitherto have been largely portrayed conventionally in Punjabi cinema, Kali Jotta was the boldest amongst the films, in its exploration of mental violence on women. Speaking about her choices, Bajwa said, “I think I’ve got an opportunity to restart, reset many times and kind of break the norms and my own stereotypes as well as that of others. I’ve been really lucky that even in my initial days, I was never used as a decoration piece…Obviously after a certain point, when you don’t have to work for money or to survive, you want to do something that you’re excited about. I think that change came when I got a taste of something different with Channo Kamli Yaar Di (2016) and then in Laung Laachi. Amberdeep is an amazing director and he really pushed me to my limits, which no director has ever done. And then, Kali Jotta was I think the first time when I challenged myself as an actor. So I’ve gotten a taste of it now and I want more and more.”

Her upcoming film, Shayar, is a love story that is reminiscent of the classic love ballads Heer Ranjha, Laila Majnu, and Sohni Mahiwal. “It is a beautiful love story and I’m so blessed to be a part of it. I was watching the film on my lunch break and I couldn’t get out of their love story. I was stuck there and was so immersed in their love.”

Showering praise on her co-star Satinder Sartaaj, who plays a poet in the film, she said, “I think he resonated with the character and he really connected with it. You won’t see him in the film, you’ll just be disconnected from him and you’ll see the character.”

While Shayar, like Kali Jotta, has an off-beat theme, Neeru Bajwa is keen on not painting herself in a corner and wishes to do both commercial and off-beat films. However, she is particular about whom she collaborates with. “I do love doing comedies and rom-coms, but now, everything matters to me. My co-star, director, writer, cameraman because I need a nice positive atmosphere where everybody gets along and we make a beautiful film. Because sometimes, when you get the right script and the wrong co-star or the wrong director, that film just gets destroyed. One person does not make a project, it’s all the people together.”

The Punjabi film industry has grown from strength to strength, with a remarkable increase in the number of releases every year. However, speaking about the one thing that the industry needs, Bajwa promptly said, “Professionalism. We have a lot of work to do on ourselves as well. I love my industry, and I love the people so much, but until we are professional, we are not going anywhere. We need to grow much more.”

Shayar releases in theatres on April 19.