One prominent Punjabi film producer told PUNJABIFILMWORLD the minimum Punjabi film industry should have done is waited till next spring to start production as the industry has no outlets other than cinemas to release their films and since cinemas are basically still closed, there is no reason to make extra product since so many big, medium and small films are awaiting release already. “I just don’t understand the reasoning other than that these people have raised money and want to put it in their pockets before it disappears,” the producer said. “Punjabi cinema has only theatrical outlet to release and make money as satellite and music rights bring in maybe 25 to 30 percent of the budget which sometimes goes towards just releasing the film. There is nothing but losses for most Punjabi films so I don’t know why there is such a rush to shoot films just so they can collect dust.”

By PD Raj – Senior Writer DESIBUZZCanada 

LONDON – While COVID-19 is raging in India with millions of cases and thousands of deaths, Punjabi movie producers are busy shooting and announcing new projects, like the world was going to end and they won’t be able to make their movies that most people don’t watch anyway.

Top star-producers like Gippy Grewal has been announcing two new projects per week while simultaneously shooting for films in London, England to get the coveted British subsidy.

“Most people are trying to stay safe from the virus and these stars and producers are risking their lives to shoot films to earn a bit of money,” one prominent Punjabi film producer told PUNJABIFILMWORLD. 

“This is the height of stupidity. There is one writer who has announced four-five projects that have begun shooting in Punjab. Are they so desperate to make these films that in the past have mostly been flops at the cinema,” he said, asking not to identify him.

The producer said the minimum Punjabi film industry should have done is waited till next spring to start production as the industry has no outlets other than cinemas to release their films and since cinemas are basically still closed, there is no reason to make extra product since so many big, medium and small films are awaiting release already.

“I just don’t understand the reasoning other than that these people have raised money and want to put it in their pockets before it disappears,” the producer said. “Punjabi cinema has only theatrical outlet to release and make money as satellite and music rights bring in maybe 25 to 30 percent of the budget which sometimes goes towards just releasing the film. There is nothing but losses for most Punjabi films so I don’t know why there is such a rush to shoot films just so they can collect dust.”

The two worst offenders in the COVID-19 shoots and announcement are Gippy Grewal and dialogue writer Raju Verms, both of whom have announced multiple projects, some of which have already began shooting.

Cinemas across India did reopen from Oct. 15 despite India’s still swelling number of coronavirus cases and deaths.

“Cinemas/ theatres/ multiplexes will be permitted to open with up to 50% of their seating capacity,” said the Home Ministry. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is expected to issue further standard operating procedures which cinema operators will be required to apply.

Cinemas in India have been closed since mid-March. And, while some other parts of the economy have been allowed to restart since June 1, most states had kept cinemas closed. West Bengal was one exception, having last week said that movie halls could reopen from Oct. 1.

But despite the opening, no one is going to cinemas right now and there are also no new films releasing. There are other problems facing the film exhibition, including producers’ dues owing from when the cinemas closed, producers insisting on no more digital fees for new movies, and no big movies available to release. All these issues do not help Punjabi cinema which is a very small industry, largely concentrated in Northern India and do not get big audience other than the big star films. 

The more than six months of cinema closure have caused content owners and distributors to experiment with direct to streaming business models. Amazon Prime was first to ditch a planned theatrical release in favor of an online one when it grabbed Shoojit Sircar’s Amitabh Bachchan-starring “Gulabo Sitabo.” But that example has been followed by Disney Plus Hotstar, Netflix and Sony LIV, all adding to the vibrancy of India’s streaming sector.

India has the world’s second highest total number of confirmed coronavirus infections, with over 7 million confirmed cases. The death toll stands at over 100,000, according to Johns Hopkins University.