The NRIs, as audience and investors, have brought about a revival of the Punjabi film industry, writes Jangveer Singh

THE images of Punjabi people and culture in films is changing — for the better. This is noticeable in a number of recent films such as Jab We Met and Heroes. Kitsch as shown in Singh is Kinng is an exception. The Punjabi flavour has become a good selling point, including for producers of music albums. The Punjabi film industry has also awakened to this reality and the potential it has for Punjabi movies abroad.

This new identity as portrayed in Punjabi films is a result of the trickle-down effect from Bollywood and television serials.

The Punjabi audience, which has grown up on the themes of revenge and macho pride, crude humour and songs around sarson de khet, is now ready for a change. Having easy access to Hindi movies, they want Punjabi movies to be made on a similar scale and with the same level of professionalism. This has seen farmhouses replacing the village scene and foreign locales replacing mustard fields. Music, too, has become a blend of the traditional and pop