After being screened at the Punjabi International Film Festival, Toronto, the Ma Boli International Punjabi Film Festival, Vancouver, and at eight different venues in Australia, Punjabi short film Sutta Naag is ready to see its first screening in Chandigarh today at 1 pm at the Government Museum in Sector 10.
Besides sharing the journey of his first short film, lyricist, filmmaker, story, screenplay and dialogue writer Amardeep Singh Gill throws light on his upcoming feature films, which are a welcome break from the typical, run-of-the-mill storylines.
His debut short film, Sutta Naag, which was made by crowd funding, has managed to help him in numerous ways. He shares, “One cannot earn from short films; they are for creative satisfaction. But, after the film was screened overseas, a lot of queries came about the budget of the film. After knowing the money spent into making it, they approached me for producing other short films as well, which I’m keen on doing.”
Though Gill wanted to make Sutta Naag as a feature film, due to lack of funds, he had to remain a short film. Gill, whose upcoming projects include lyrics of Punjabi film Kirpaan and story, screenplay and dialogues of Yoddha and Sarhad 1947, talks about the difference between writing and making films: “I earn from writing films for others and make films from the money I earn from them.”
Letting us in on Yoddha and Sarhad 1947, he says, “Yoddha is a film being made by the same team that made Sadda Haq. It’s based on political ‘gundaism’ and drug mafia. Though a lot of controversy surrounded Sadda Haq, Yoddha would be steering clear of controversy. Many believe that controversies and bans give impetus to the film’s publicity, but for me, a film should release on the exact date as promised.”
Though Gill wanted to make Sutta Naag as a feature film, due to lack of funds, he had to remain a short film. Gill, whose upcoming projects include lyrics of Punjabi film Kirpaan and story, screenplay and dialogues of Yoddha and Sarhad 1947, talks about the difference between writing and making films: “I earn from writing films for others and make films from the money I earn from them.”
Letting us in on Yoddha and Sarhad 1947, he says, “Yoddha is a film being made by the same team that made Sadda Haq. It’s based on political ‘gundaism’ and drug mafia. Though a lot of controversy surrounded Sadda Haq, Yoddha would be steering clear of controversy. Many believe that controversies and bans give impetus to the film’s publicity, but for me, a film should release on the exact date as promised.”
About Sarhad 1947, based on the Partition, he says, “The angle that we have chosen has not been touched upon till now. People still have this misconception about partition that there was some order passed that formed the two nations. The reasons for the Partition are still not very clear to many. Also, most of the films made on Partition would either show a Sikh girl in love with a Muslim guy or vice versa. Sarhad 1947, however, is not a love story. It is about a Sikh guy helping a Muslim girl reach Pakistan safely.”
Simultaneously, Gill is trying to bring five short-film directors together on one platform. He says, “I’m trying if four to five short films can be put together for a theatrical release, probably on the lines of Bollywood films Dus Kahaniyaan and Bombay Talkies.”