Sikhi through film making

[Guest mehtab]

Written by a fellow GurSikh, bhai Anmol Singh from Mumbai, India

Its time for action, we need to become

filmmakers

This is one such area I observe not many from our community have entered,

accept a few. I observe many readers writing Sikhs have been shown as

jokers, I fully agree with it. But fortunately Bolloywood has never

shown

Sikhs as villains. Many movies have shown Sikhs as powerful characters.

Even

Zoroastrians are also shown as comic characters but at the same time

they

are known for their honesty and control several major businesses in

India.

On the contrary Brahmins and Pundits have been shown as cunning and

corrupt.

Bolloywood write from the 50s has produced movies based on castism. But

with

my personal interaction I can say not all are like that. Many do respect

Sikhs very much.

Unfortunately the foreign media has done more damage to the Sikh image.

The

famous James Bond movie Octobussy shows Kabir Bedi as a Sikh criminal

opposite Roger Moore. Another movie the name I dont remember shows

Nicholas

Cage humiliating a Sikh taxi driver in America. Bhavani Junction is

another movie based on British Rule in India which to some extend

demoralizes Sikhi. In the present times also discrimination is

continuing in

Western Media. Compared to Hollywood the Pakistani Media is even worst.

I

have seen many drama serials on Pakistan TV showing Sikhs as negative

characters. The amount of biased propaganda they do against India, its

just

ridiculous.

Now the only solutions is we need to become film makers, directors,

actors

and script write

rs to project a positive image of Sikhi. Looking back

Sikhs

have so many success stories which need to be propaganda in dramatized

form.

This is a new challenge for all of us worldwide. We have to win this

Media

war with Strategies and Intelligence. Unfortunately many readers think a

war

is fought only in a battlefield.

To start with unlike the Sikhnet.com, SMART, etc. we do need a non

profit

organizations for funding such projects. That way the Sikhnet.com is

doing

an excellent job, but we need to do much more. We cannot expect any

other

belief to project a proper image of Sikhi since they do not know our

culture

very well. We need to make movies showing Sikhs as powerful characters

promoting universal brotherhood for other beliefs worldwide. Our global

presence speaks for it.

The following subjects can be covered

1. To start with a serial on Sikh history should to made starting from

Guru

Nanak Dev Ji to Guru Gobind Singh Ji.

2. A serial on Rule of Maharaja Ranjit Singh Ji should be made. Maharaja

Ranjit Singh was the first to introduce the concept of transfer of

technology. The close association with the French Army. Bringing back

the

kohinoor diamond.

3. The close association of Sikhs with the Royal British Army and their

contribution in the First and Second World War. As per records 80

thousand

troops lost their lives and over a lac handicapped. Their association in

the

present times. A movie on the lines of Band of Brothers directed by

Steven

Spielberg can be made.

4. Sikhs are highly respected by the Zoroastrian community as well.

Majority

Sikh transporters prefer TATA vehicles and are respected for their brand

honesty from decades. The companys R&D division during new vehicle

design

development, testing, market research, etc. always consults Sikh truck

drivers.

5. The close association of Sikhs with Netaji Subha

sh Chander Bose.

6. Sikhs who migrated to foreign countries, their initial struggle and

success stories.

7. The problems, which the Sikh community faced after the Sept 11,

attacks

and how they tried to cop up.

Bend it like Becham was a good concept of problems related to racism. It

was an excellent movie, but the only draw back was it demoralized Sikhi.

But

then we cannot blame Gurindar Chadda for this, since we our selves are

responsible of it. Gurindar Chadda is a very intelligent filmmaker. We

do

need such filmmakers who can promote Sikhi and encourage the younger

generation to live under Sikhi.

Another initiative taken by Jaspal Bhatti to present Indian corruption

in a

comic form speaks of intelligence and strategies. The best thing, which

is

appreciable, maintaining his Sikhi he has done so. Such initiatives need

to

be taken on a larger scale. In other words the world appreciates your

work

not your appearance.

The renowed novelist Late Rajendar Singh Bedi inflenced many film makers

to

produce movies based on his stories. He was himself a filmmaker and a

dialog

writer as well. The movie of 60s Dastak was produced and directed by him.

Some of the Bolloywood Movies which have showed Sikhs as powerful

characters.

Jeevan Mritiu A movie of late 60s Bolloywood Actor Dharmendra acts a

Sikh

to find all the culprits.

Kala Pather A movie of late 70s shows Parikshat Sahni as a generous and

humble truck driver who saves the life of mine workers. There is

beautiful

Punjabi song Ishq Aur Mushq Kade Naa Chipde.

Silsila A movie of early 80s based extra marital affairs shows a Sikh

character in a small role who is a very close friend of Amitabh Bachann.

The

movies most powerful dialogs are given to this Sikh character, which

brings

Amitabh back on track.

Vijeta A movie of early 80s shows the friendship of a Sikh Air Force

officer and Catholic lady who is a daughter of his instructor.

Border A movie of mid 90s based on Indo-Pak war. Sony Deol acts as a

major. A very motivating movie for the Sikh community. It also praises

Guru

Gobind Singh ji.

Kohram A Sikh Colonel played by Amitabh Bachann. The movie shows how

circumstances make him go away from Sikhi and finally how he returns

back to

Sikhi. There is very beautiful dialog A real Sikh will die but never cut

his hairs.

Maachis A movie that mentions of police harassment to the Punjab youth,

which resulted in terrorism. People for all beliefs appreciated the

movie.

Many politicians opposed it.

There are many regional movies viz. Nanak Naam Jahaj, Guru Maaneo Granth,

Savaa Lakh Se Ek Ladaaun, etc.

We need to study the strategies which filmmakers all over the world

adopt.

Most filmmakers derive scripts and ideas from their own culture.

Most Holloywood films are based on fiction, special effects, science &

technology, etc. since its an R&D culture. Aliens, Abyss, Jurassic Park,

Terminator, Titanic, Bond series, etc. are some of the prominent works

in

the present times produced by Steven Spielberg, James Cameroon, etc.

Most Muslim filmmakers concentrate on effective use of Urdu since they

are

excellent poets, musicians and singers. Mother India, Adaalat, Mere

Mehboob,

Mirza Galib, Mugal-e-Azam, Pakeeza, Umra O Jaan, etc. produced by some

of

the prominent film makers viz. Mehbood Khan, Kamal Amrohi, K Asif,

Muzaffar

Ali, etc.

Bolloywood concentrates more on human relationships, social problems,

etc.

Bolloywood had many film makers who concentrate on a particle theme.

- Bimal Roy concentrated on social problems Do Beega Zamine, Sujata &

Bandhini are some of his works.

- Guru Dutt showed bitter realities of life Pyaasa, Kagaz Ke Phool, CID,

etc.

- B R Chopra concentrates

on social problems of different subjects

Dhool

Ka Phool, Waqkt, Insaaf Ka Taraazu, Nikaah, etc.

- Yash Chopra concentrates on Love stories Kabhi-Kabhi, Kala Pather,

Silsila, Chandini, etc.

- Rishikesh Mukharjee shows movies based on to common man problems

Anand,

Namak Haram, Gool Maal, Choti Si Baat, Baaton Baaton Mein, etc.

- Shakti Samant concerntrates on women sacrifice Araadhana, Amar Prem,

etc.

- Raj Kapoor concentrated on different subjects but focusing more on

women

and music.

- Man Mohan Desai concentrated on lost and found but focusing more on

entertainment Amar Akbar Anthony & Naseeb were his biggest hits.

There are many more.

The Far East concentrates on Martial arts, Buddhism, religious

discipline,

etc. Bruce Lee, Jackie Chian, etc are some of the prominent film

personalities.

Now as a culture we need to concentrate on universal brotherhood, fight

against injustice, strong characters, etc. Women characters will be

strong

and powerful rather showing them in stereo type roles. In other words we

have to explore our inner self and derive ideas and do that is different

from other cultures. We need to be original. We can derive hundreds of

scripts and ideas from our success stories. We need people who can take

risks and initiatives to achieve such tasks.

You can make some additions and if possible publish on other web sites.

Regards,

Anmol Singh.