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Follies of Pollywood
Jagmohan Singh
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Perturbed
at Harbhajan Mann being given a Siropa without the accompanying
grace, dignity and sanctity, Jagmohan Singh writes an Open
Letter to Harbhajan Mann and urges him to listen to the voice of
his conscience and honour the pride -Annakh of the Sikhs and
Punjabis, which he extols in his movies. |
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 Dear Harbhajan
Singh Mann
Sat Sri Akal Ji
I may not be
able to say Sat Sri Akal in as loving a manner as you say it in your
movies, but still do accept my greetings.
It may come as a
surprise to many of my friends and readers, but I like your songs
and movies. I particularly admire your love for the Punjabi mitti.
Though interspersed with some non-Punjabi inputs, your Satrangi
Peeng was a remarkable contribution and the long song in the
video offering was a pure Punjabi cultural treat. Your respect for
the Punjabi language and Punjabi culture oozes out in most of your
songs and movies. The tonal quality of your voice and your
well-chosen lyrics leave an impression, invariably a lasting
impression.
I wish I had
written to you specifically for issues connected with the Punjabi
film industry, but one of your recent photographs, published
prominently in Punjab has raised my heckles.
Recently, you
accepted a Siropa from the new entrant into the political
scene in
Punjab –Harsimrat Kaur and that too not in a Gurdwara but in your
own house at Khemuwana village in Bhatinda. What for? The Shiromani
Akali Dal (Badal), in its preparations for the ensuing elections has
declared you to be their Man(n). I have no problems with this. After
all, one has to be somebody’s man, till one floats one’s own party,
isn’t it? After all, for the Punjabis, politics is nothing but
paltybaazi –today the Akalis, yesterday Ramoowalia and may be in
the future, the Congress?
My problem is
not your affiliation. You were quick to retract and label your
meeting as part of Punjabi cordiality. It is a little difficult to
digest but that is not my main concern. My concern is the ease with
which Punjabi actors change sides. My problem is that Punjabi
artistes tend to be hollow in their political convictions. When
Punjab
was dying and crying, Punjabi artistes could not produce a single
work of art to document the tragic times. Why don’t they have
opinions on leading world events? Why should their interface with
society be only during times of disaster? Why should their
affiliation be based on family relationship? Why can’t they have
their own considered opinions? Why do they not have courage of
conviction?
The Siropa that
was given to you and you smilingly received. Your grin is showing in
the photograph. For someone so deeply rooted in the soil, to forget
the basics is nothing but sad.
In the first
place, the Siropa is a robe of honour bestowed from the House
of the Guru, to someone who has done an exemplary task or has made
some significant contribution towards society. The daughter-in-law
of the Badal household, with her own head nicely and reverently
covered with a Dupatta, failed us. Instead of putting in some sense
into the Badal way of politics, she has joined the bandwagon. She
put a Siropa around your neck, with your head uncovered. She has
added to the genre of politicking which has reduced the robe of
honour to a political gimmick to be used by the Badals and many
others to suit their petty needs.
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My problem is not your affiliation. You were quick to retract
and label your meeting as part of Punjabi cordiality. It is a
little difficult to digest but that is not my main concern. My
concern is the ease with which Punjabi actors change sides. My
problem is that Punjabi artistes tend to be hollow in their
political convictions. When Punjab was dying and crying,
Punjabi artistes could not produce a single work of art to
document the tragic times. Why don’t they have opinions on
leading world events? Why should their interface with society be
only during times of disaster? Why should their affiliation be
based on family relationship? Why can’t they have their own
considered opinions? Why do they not have courage of conviction? |
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The social
relevance of your movies is praiseworthy and it speaks a lot about
your choice of producers. Your dialogue in Jee Aayan Nu,
while referring to elderly people sitting in the open space of a
Punjab village –the Sathh, when you say, Main te jadhh di hosh
sambhali hai, inhanu ithe hi baithyan dekhya hai is a remarkable
satire on the way people in Punjab villages vile away their time
instead of doing something constructive.
The reason I
allude to this is to retell you something which you already know.
All movies, including Punjabi movies leave lasting impressions on
young minds. Every move of an actor is imitated in this country.
Fashion, carefree life, promiscuous life patterns, respect or
disrespect for women, adherence to religious fundamentals and now
politics too is influenced by actors.
I am not sure
whether the deal with the House of Badals is a pecuniary one, what I
do know is that like all political parties, the Badals may have
found in you an icon to sings songs of their glory and success.
Another icon, Hans Raj Hans has been confined to Jalandhar and they
would perhaps use you as a roving singer extolling the qualities,
not of Punjabi language and culture but of political leaders in a
hurry to win at the hustings at all costs.
In doing so and
in accepting a Siropa without the grace required, you have offended
the Sikh consciousness. You may have done it unwillingly, but that
is not condonable. For someone who mingles with Sikhs all the time,
sports a Sikh name, irrespective of your shorn looks, your photo has
inflicted pain. The nadir to which the Badals have descended, no
one expects much from them. Alas, you could have been different.
 You still have a
chance. Should you choose to go ahead with political campaigning for
the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal), you must remember that irrespective
of the stand of the present rulers, this party has a historic legacy
of commitment and dedication to the Sikh way of life, which has been
deliberately compromised for petty political gains.
Whenever I have
written about how Bollywood has lampooned and rebuked the Sikhs, in
movie after another, my readers have supported the cause and have
asked for more. When I wrote about the movie Singh is Kinng,
Amandeep Singh from
Australia, sent
this mail, which you should ponder over:
Movie goers,
Sikh media watchers and Panthic institutions amongst the Punjabi
Sikh community follow two norms. One for Bollywood and another for
the Punjabi film industry. They protest at Akshay Kumar and others
but turn a blind eye to clean shaven singers from Punjab like
Harbhajan Mann and Gurdas Mann, who have never portrayed a Sikh
character in their movies. In fact turbaned Sikhs are shown as
jokers in the movies in which they play lead roles.
In Mitti Vaaja Mardi, the Sikh character with a flowing beard
is shown as a villian while the hero and good characters are clean
shaven and turbanless. Even the joker of the movie -Gurpreet Ghuggi
and the cruel policemen are shown as turbaned.
Balwant Singh
Ramoowalia who is father in law of Harbhajan Mann has been raising
concerns for deserted Non-Resident Punjabi wives, but in this movie,
the NRI who flies to a foreign land and marries illegally and
deserts his wife, under whatever circumstances, is shown as good
person.
The impact of
all this can be well imagined.
I am sure that
you are aware of most of these concerns. I write to you to reinforce
the point that you will get ample opportunities in the coming days
to use your skill sets of singing and acting. I urge you not to
perpetuate the characters that you display on screen. Though
Harsimrat Kaur Badal and her husband may have hired you to influence
the likes who are members of the Students Organisation of India, it
would be really nice if you would wear the turban and sing your
songs. Should you chose to be apolitical, then how about doing a
proper Sikh character in a Punjabi movie for a change?
Let the next
Sikh character in a Punjabi movie be better than the Singh that
Akshay Kumar has portrayed. Barring few latest pourings, Pollywood
is in any case very near to follywood. As far as the Sikhs and Sikh
ethical values are concerned, let Pollywood take the lead in proving
Bollywood wrong.
I am sure that
irrespective of how you would like to lead your own life, you would
not like to go down in history as someone who has fostered apostasy
in Punjab.
You may use your iconic status to influence voters in
Punjab,
even at the cost of annoying your father in law, but please that you
do not annoy the entire Sikh community.
For a change,
the next time when you accept a Siropa, do remember that it is not
just a piece of cloth around your neck.
With best
wishes.
Jagmohan Singh
Jagmohan Singh
is a commentator based in Ludhiana. He may
be contacted at jsbigideas@gmail.com
11 March 2009
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