Nidhi Bhanot

Ludhiana

The revival of Khalistan movement in Punjab could be a big threat to the Punjabi entertainment industry which is growing fastly for the welfare of farmers and masses from over a decade now. But after the grenade attack at Nirankari Bhawan in Amritsar people in entertainment industry has started giving a second thought to the shooting locations in the Punjab. The finalization of certain shooting sites for the upcoming big budget bollywood movies in the villages of Punjab has been put on hold by the concerned authorities keeping in mind the security and safety of stars in movie.

Even the pollywood producers, directors and actors have started giving a second thought to their future shooting locations around Amritsar and demanded proper security at their shooting locations in Punjab. As Amritsar grenade attack at the Nirankari Bhawan has sent a wave of terror among whole entertainment industry either pollywood or bollywood. It is pertinent to mention that earlier in eighties Punjabi cinema superstar Veerender Singh was attacked on the sets of shooting only by the terrorists. He was shot dead after which Punjabi cinema actors and actresses avoid doing much movies. Even during the terrorism people stopped going to the theaters due to the fear of being killed in bomb blasts and prefer to watch movies on VCR’s. So watching losses in movies producers and directors stopped making movies, only the low budget movies and albums were made in the late 80’s and early 90’s.  But the present era actors have already increased their bouncers and kept private security personnel’s to ensure their security at shooting sites and otherwise. They have given strict instructions to their security teams to keep unknown persons away from them in the shoots and public. One of pollywood superstar’s bouncer, Gurmail Singh (name change) requesting anonymity for the stars name revealed, “We have been given strict instructions that we should not let any unknown person close to the ‘Paji’. We have got these strict instructions after the Amritsar incident only, earlier whosever use to come to shoot ‘Paji’ makes sure to meet them. Infact he always uses to say deal softly with my fans but now they have a kind of fear in their mind after the incident in Nirankari Bhawan, Amritsar on Sunday afternoon.”

It is pertinent to mention that whenever the entertainment industry starts growing in Punjab, then the terror acts starts pushing it back. Over the last one decade Punjabi cinema is flourishing like a full bloom flowers either its movies or music albums. From past two three years even the shooting of big budget bollywood movies starring Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, Anushka Sharma, Akshay Kumar and many other actors took place in the villages of Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Amritsar. Infact, the shooting of the ‘Bharat’ movie recently took place in Ballowal village of Ludhiana, Bilga village of Jalandhar and one village of district Kapurthala.But the talk regarding shooting of upcoming big budget bollywood movie ‘Hind’ starring Shahrukh Khan in the villages of Ludhiana has been put on hold by the concerned authorities. As surely the producer, director and actors would be worried about the extra security arrangements they have to make in order to shoot in rural Punjab with bollywood superstars whom people always remain eager to have glimpse even at a shooting site or Hotel. Infact the security personnel’s of the Salman khan were also increased from the fifty to seventy after grenade attack in Amritsar, which was confirmed by their production team during his stay till date.  

As a villagers of Ballowal got a call from the production team of upcoming big budget bollywood movie Hind starring Shahrukh Khan whose shooting is yet to take place. They were looking for good locations in Punjab. They contacted the farmers of Ballowal village at the time of Bharat movie shoot last week, and they asked the farmers they will call them back for a confirmation in a day or two. But after the grenade attack in Amritsar when one of the Ballowal villagers, Mandeep Singh called the concerned person said, “We are not yet sure for doing the shooting of movie in Punjab due to security reasons. Whenever we will need your land in near future we would let you know as now we are trying to shoot on foreign land.Mandeep Singh, Jaswinder Singh and other farmers rue, “With great difficulty bollywood stars started coming in our villages and we are also gaining money by giving our land on rent. We have no proper income otherwise and it also helps us in waving off our loans.” “We are very sad about the incident which took place in Amritsar. As it will not only affect peace of Punjab but also bring more losses to poor people like us. Who will come in Punjab after all this”, they rue with anger.Deputy Commissioner of Police, Ludhiana Commissionerate, Ashwani Kapoor told, “Salman Khan didn’t work much under Ludhiana Commissioner so till the time he was in Ludhiana his security was same. But for doing the shooting in Phagwara, Jalandhar and Kapurthala his security might have been increased but I cannot comment much on the other Commissionerate areas.”Ends.

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