Roving Eye 8212; Chandigarh

But determined Preeti believes in the maxim, Crying babies get the milk8217;, and that explains her presence in the city nowadays. She is busy meeting the rulers and decision-makers of the Punjab government, making them see reality and reason. But what endears one to this woman of substance is her ardent fervour for Punjab and the zeal to resurrect the almost dead Punjabi filmworld. It is to her credit that she could bring Punjabi films back on the national channel which S S Gill had scrapped he had taken off the entire regional films.

Preeti8217;s conversation with Sushma Swaraj, who handled the Information and Broadcasting portfolio then and who was convinced about the problems dogging the Punjabi films, bore fruit and all the leading producers received letters from Prasar Bharati recently to submit their films. But Preeti8217;s real success lies in making Sushma waive off two clauses in the selection process: that the films should have won a state award Madam, Punjab does not have an award, she told Sushma and should have run silver jubilee in theatres Punjab was in the grip of terrorism, so no one used to venture out to see movies, she reasoned.

Instead Sushma put in A and B category for selection of Punjabi films. And now the question is, where are the films? For Punjab no longer has films like Chann Pardesi or Sarpanch, her path-breaking acting ventures. 8220;The subsidy system introduced earlier did not yield good results for the money went into wrong hands and the deserving directors were left out of the melee. But still there are people willing to invest in Punjabi films with a little push from the government. Chief Minister Badal has promised tax exemption and subsidy8221;.

When and how it will be are the questions Preeti intends to solve in the next few days. Since Preeti is an elected member of the Indian Motion Picture Producers8217; Association, she feels she can do a lot for the Punjabi film fraternity. And in fact she has already begun the process. There is an Old Artists8217; Pension Scheme with the National Film Development Corporation NFDC wherein old and retired artists of any lingo are eligible for the pension. 8220;I came to know of it only after I became an IMPA member. I have identified five persons already and will put forth their cases8221;.

Maharashtra government gives 50 per cent discount on equipments and facilities for the post-production work. 8220;They are willing to extend the facilities to anyone and I can help the producers here in availing these in Mumbai8221;.

Preeti also has a few plans of her own. Come February, her blockbuster, 8220; a war film this time8221;, based on an episode from the 1971 war will go on floor in Ferozepur. A bilingual, in Hindi and Punjabi, the film is an NFDC project and she has set her eyes on Manoj Bajpai of Satya fame, the latest brilliance on screen, and Pooja Batra as the lead besides her gang of friends and relatives like Gurdas Mann and Kiran Kumar.

Then a mega-serial in Punjabi is on the anvil. 8220;Star Network is planning to have regional channels or slots and R Basu was very much interested in this project when I met him.8221; And when Punjab celebrates the 300th year of Khalsa next year, Mumbai will also have a gala festivity, thanks to this Punjabi-at-heart. Preeti has already got the permission from the Shiv Sena supremo, Bal Thakheray, and the government has allotted the Andheri Sports Complex to her. 8220;There will be Akhand-Path, langar and a night of concerts. I intend to bring the two CMs, Manohar Joshi and Badal, on the dais along with Thakheray and then all the big stars from Punjab, like Dharmendra and Vinod Khanna besides Amitabh Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit, you know8221;.

All said and done, Preeti comes back to the same thing. 8220;But still, even after suffering financial losses, I want to make a Punjabi film once a year.8221; This one was born and brought up in Maharashtra, grew up with a Punjabi father and a Konkani mother, started acting in Hindi films but bloomed in Punjabi films. Sometimes adopted daughters feel more for their parents and that explains her emotional attachment with her karmbhoomi8217;.

An evening with Green Ma8217;am
The Green Ma8217;am8217;s arrival in the city last Sunday was one with a mission: to sell off close friend Manu Parekh8217;s art works which carry members of her Ark. But, mind you, the money is not for his pockets but to set up a full-fledged Ark, complete with hospital facilities. However those assembled at the Alliance Francaise AF saw the lighter side of an otherwise matter-of-fact Maneka Gandhi, Minister for Social Empowerment and Animal Welfare. Like when AF president Mac Sareen began to introduce her, Union Minister for Social8230;carefully remembering the portfolio, she completed, 8220;and whatever8221;. The formal atmosphere inside the hall was slowly fading and it did completely when Punjab CM, Parkash Singh Badal, remarked about her love for animals, 8220;She really cares for them, in fact she cares more for animals than for her family members.8221; The dig at the Dynasty was not lost on anyone and had the hall in laughter.

But all was not so funny for her as outside a rival faction of the People for Animals, the organisation behind the exhibition, staged demonstration. Though she stuck solidly behind Payal Sodhi8217;s PFA, the not-so-beautiful scene outside made her linger some more time in the AF gallery. That is when she had a brief interaction with Newsline. She was very strict with Payal when the talk came to selling the paintings. 8220;Now you have got a star artist and should concentrate on the selling part of it. You have not done enough on this so far. If you do well and collect enough money for the planned shelter, I will help you to bring in a group show by top artists next year. But if you fail, then you will have the typical Diwali Ganeshas made by Punjabi painters for exhibition.8221; Maneka remarked the last one with a wink at this reporter. Madame, don8217;t brand Punjabi painters as such. After all you are also a Punjabi though your Ark is harboured on a different Mount. Have a heart for humans too!