Punjab Kala Bhawan in Sector 16 was beaming with eminent personalities on Saturday, as the 3rd annual function of the North Zone Film and TV Association kicked off with much enthusiasm.
Actors Binnu Dhillon, Rana Ranbir, Vijay Tandon, BN Sharma, Karamjit Anmol, Japtej Singh (who played the role of young Milkha Singh in Bhaag Milkha Bhaa) were the main attractions of the event.
A cultural programme was also organised to mark the celebrations, which included a performance by the Bhangra Boys of Khalsa School, Sector 26, a comedy skit by Bhottu Shah and his co-actor and a short play on the theme of women called Chirri Di Amber Wal Udaan by singer Anita Shabdeesh. Five eminent personalities of Punjabi films and television were also honored.
The recipients of awards were Mehal Mittal, Late Jaspal Bhatti, Parvesh Sethi, Nirmal Rishi and Anita Shabdeesh. An emotional Savita Bhatti, who accepted the award for her husband Jaspal Bhatti (Padma Bhushan) said, “It has been nine months since Jaspal ji left us, but in this time, someone or the other from the industry has always been around to wipe our tears. This is a victory for him. He gave so many years to the industry, made people laugh, gained a lot of respect, which in itself is a rare achievement. This film industry has many artistes, but he was one who stepped out of his comfort zone to stand for issues affecting the common man.”
Following up after Bhatti, actor Vijay Tandon said, “There are only two personalities in the industry who can never be replaced — Mehar Mittal, who has played innumerable characters in the Punjabi industry and Late Jaspal Bhatti, who brought commercial success to the industry with his film Mahaul Theek Hai. They both have carved a niche for others to emulate.”
The event also held a critical discussion on how Punjabi cinema lacks good scripts and situational comedy. The basic focus was on filmmakers working on untouched subjects. The fact that Punjab has a rich history, and comedy is not the only thing that the audience wants to watch, also came to the fore during the discussion.
Giving his views on the same, Punjabi actor Mehar Mittal, who was awarded by the Dadasaheb Phalke Academy at the 136th Dadasaheb Phalke Jayanti, said, “Subject or no subject, comedy or no comedy — the focus should be on making good films. The only thing a comedian or a scriptwriter should keep in mind is that comedy should be such that the audiences recall the scenes days after and still laugh.”
Source : hindustantimes.com