Satinder Sartaaj: ‘There are many gorgeous girls who cannot act like Neeru Bajwa’

Talking about his decision to come on board the film, he said, “This film is very close to me, so I quickly said, ‘Yes’. Poetry is my genre, my affection, my love, my profession, my passion, so Shayar was a no-brainer. For Kali Jotta, Neeru Bajwa gave me a call, and I accepted, but later, it was the script and the intensity of it [that appealed to me]. The distributors thought that the film might not work, but the very first day, at the first screening when I saw the movie, I held her [Neeru Bajwa] from her shoulders and said that you are the finest actor, why are you putting pictures of yourself on the treadmill on social media? Just display your art. There are many gorgeous girls who cannot act like her, and above beauty, there is an art in her, so she should showcase that.”

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

Heartbreak and the passion of love have been predominant themes in poetry and Shayar sees Satinder Sartaaj playing a budding poet who falls in love and embarks on a journey. “As an actor and even as a singer, these are mostly the two emotions that you have to portray so there was nothing hard [in the role], this was so flawless, this was so me. This is the most enjoyable character I’ve played in my entire filmography.”

Recognising the intensity of the love that builds between the lead pair, Sartaaj spoke about the elevated themes that would captivate the audience, saying, “A few times, when I came home, I realised that we are making a cult film here.”

Shayar transports audiences back in time when the Punjabi language integrated words from Urdu cohesively. While composing the poetry for the film, Satinder Sartaaj was careful to replicate that time. “The film is a period drama and is set around the 1970s, when there was a very profound insertion of Urdu in Punjabi poetry. Every Punjabi poet was writing in Shahmukhi so that [including Urdu] was a conscious decision and that is also my favourite era of Punjabi poetic tradition. Balraj Sahni, Sahir Ludhianvi, Raj Kapoor Saab, all used to be in Chandigarh, attending mushairas over long nights. MS Randhawa Saab would coordinate this, Shiv Kumar Batalvi Saab would come to Chandigarh also and that whole atmosphere is very close to my heart.”

As an actor, Sartaaj is partial to period dramas and is excited about roles that are set in a historical period. The Black Prince involved shooting in several actual palaces that made for a novel experience for the actor. “The Black Prince was shot at Princess Diana’s palace and we were instructed not to sit on particular chairs, not to touch the switches. It’s the historical films that I look forward to.”

Shayar releases in cinemas on April 19, 2024.