Treading on the troubled path

Amarjot Kaur

Documentary-maker Daljit Ami talks about what’s ailing Punjabi culture

Daljit Ami

If you were of the opinion that Punjab and its culture restricts itself to the jatts, zameens, desi kattay, sarso di roti and Patiala peg; there is more to it. Daljit Ami, a documentary filmmaker and senior journalist, in an interactive session organised by the Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi, elaborates on Punjabi literature, culture, and films.

Known for his activism through issue-based documentaries on topics such as agricultural labour, mass movements, human rights, environmentalism, Sufi tradition and Punjabi scholars, Daljit talks facts as he reasons their credibility on his research.

While the first concern of his remains literature of Punjab, of which he talks in quantity than quality, sharing that Chandigarh-based Lok Geet Parkarshan publishes as many as two books daily on an average. However, while talking about drug addiction, which is the burning issue in Punjab, and is slowly, in an infamous way, defining the contemporary culture of Punjab, Daljit says, “Some political parties are of the opinion that Punjab’s borders with Pakistan and Rajasthan must be shut down. However, my concern is to find out what’s leading the Punjabis to drug abuse, and finding a way out. We can only find a solution, if we know where the problem is coming from.”

While stressing on the importance of being self-critical, Daljit shares that the culture of Punjab goes beyond what stand depicted in the films made in Pollywood. “The films made in Punjab these days come across like the jokes aired on Jalandhar Doordarshan long ago. We haven’t moved ahead of that,” he says while adding that most of the Punjabi films are produced by those who have absolutely no knowledge of films. “It’s kind of monopolised by a few, who will make a movie for a specific actor. Also, most of these Punjabi films are made with the consideration how much revenue these would generate abroad, especially US, Australia and Canada,” he says as he pities the sorry state of art and independent cinema of the region.

Meanwhile, he also shares that the quality of music in the region has suffered a massive blow.
With thanks from The Tribune
(http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/life-style/treading-on-the-troubled-path/29581.html)