From writing diaries to writing for films, meet Pollywood’s Rana Ranbir

Family

Born in Barnala to parents Mohan Singh and Shamsher Kaur, both teachers, Rana was raised in Dhuri, a city in the Sangrur district of Punjab. In 2017, he moved to Canada and is now settled there.

When Rana’s father passed away in 2018, his mother found herself toggling between the family’s two homes in Canada and India. Rana has two younger sisters who are educators. His wife Davinder Pal Kaur is an education assistant in a school board in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. He has two kids. His daughter Seerat Rana, who did her post-graduation in animation from Vancouver Film School, now works with Netflix while his son Waris Rana is now a student of Grade-10.

How are you as a father and a husband?

More than being a father, I am a friend to my children. I give them complete freedom to lead their lives. They have the independence to choose their careers and life paths. I only advise as much as needed. With my wife too, it is the same. I don’t interfere in her life. However, I have given them all the permission to intrude into my life whenever they want to. (laughs).

Education

An average student that he was, Ranbir found his passion in poetry and drama. Though his fondness led him to the stage when he was a fifth-grader, he learned the nuances of theatre and acting while studying in Class XII. He did his matriculation from the Malwa Khalsa Senior Secondary School and intermediary schooling from Desh Bhagat College, Bardwal, Dhuri, where he later also pursued his graduation. Following this, he completed his post graduation in theatre and television from Punjabi University, Patiala, and also received a gold medal for his incredible performance.

Snippet from life

I have been bullied a lot in life for being short. Although it has reduced now, some people still mock my height in a humorous way. However, it is not always a joke, it amounts to bullying at times. Despite such treatment, I took everything in stride. Using art, poetry, recitation and drama as tools to channelise my inner frustration, I moved forward with positivity and that worked wonders for me.

How did you start your career?

I began working as a repertoire artist and production assistant at the university department. After a few years at the job, I resigned from there in 2001. I also worked with Bhagwant Mann, the present Chief Minister of Punjab, for almost four-and-a-half years. We released audio-video cassettes of the comedy show ‘Jugnu Kehnda Hai’ and our collaboration garnered a huge appreciation from the audience. However, in 2005, our paths separated professionally as he moved to Mumbai and I entered the film industry. Interestingly, before working together, we were each other’s competitors during the college days.

Works till now

Starting his career as an actor with ‘Dil Apna Punjabi’ (2006) and as a writer with ‘Munde UK De’ (2009), Rana has to his credit a long list of films that marks his identity in the Punjabi film industry. He also thanks film directors Manmohan Singh and Mukesh Gautam for giving him a break in the industry. His writing projects include films such as ‘Ik Kudi Punjab Di’ (2010), ‘Kabaddi Ik Mohabbat’ (2010), ‘Fer Mamla Gadbad-Gadbad’ (2013), ‘Aa Gaye Munde UK De’ (2014) among others. He is best known for his writing in ‘Ardaas’ (2016), ‘Manje Bistre’ (2017), ‘Asees’ (2018), ‘Ardaas Karaan’ (2019) and ‘Shava Ni Girdhari Lal’ (2021).

Upcoming projects

Ranbir’s new song titled ‘Fateh’ was released Wednesday. It’s an inspirational song that gives one hope in despondency. Rana’s upcoming projects that will showcase his writing and directorial skills include the Gippy Grewal-starrer movies ‘Maa’ and ‘Posti’ (2022), and ‘Snowman’ (2022).

You are a renowned poet, tell us something about your books

I have written several books till now. My first book on poetry titled ‘Sach, Soch Te Supne’ came out when I was in college. This was followed by another poetry book ‘Kin Min Tip Tip’ and a short motivational book ‘Zindagi Zindabad,’ which has 10 editions. After this, I wrote a novel titled ‘20 November’ for youths and till now it has four editions. Soon, I will be releasing the fourth edition of ‘Diva,’ a poetry book, and the second edition of my daily diary ‘Kalakarian.’ All my works have been published by Chetna Prakashan, a Ludhiana-based publishing house.

Role of theatre in your life

I cannot imagine my life without theatre. It made me disciplined and added meaning to my existence. I gave my first solo theatrical performance of 35 minutes in the play ‘Khetan Da Putt’ in 1995. This drama, based on revolutionary Punjabi poet Paash, was revived, extended to 80 minutes, and again performed by me in 2014.

In 2017, I performed another 90-minute solo drama ‘Good Man Di Lalten,’ based on Harpreet Sekha’s ‘Ram Gau’ in Canada’s Surrey. In 2019, I did another two-hour play ‘Zindagi Zindabad.’

All these three solo theatrical performances received a lot of appreciation from the public, which highlighted the audiences’ demand and liking for good content.

Role of writing in your life

Without the influence of theatre in my life, it would not have been possible for me to become a writer. I started with personal diary-writing in Class XII, which motivated me to explore writing as an art. Till date, I practice this skill every day. The passion for writing got me inclined to poetry and shaped me as a professional writer. I believe penning down things is a great meditative exercise and everyone should do it to stay happy and healthy.

Thoughts about Pollywood

The Punjabi entertainment industry is on a path of progress. It has given employment to many. What to say about Punjabi music? It has swept Bollywood and influenced Hollywood as well. Pollywood has given a platform to new talents and artists to explore their skills. New actors are being given opportunities to perform and experiment. In a small time, the industry has built a good name and reputation in world-class cinema.

Challenges faced

Problems come at every phase of everyone’s life. I too faced them at every point starting from getting bullied in school to taking up a job without interest as an adult. With age, the issues just kept increasing. However, I always took these experiences as challenges to test my strength. I never gave up but always put up a tough fight. According to me, it is not the problem but the reaction to the problem that defines one’s personal or professional journey.

Future plans

Oh, there are many! Soon, I am starting with a new play in July. I am also planning to work on a few written scripts and ideas based on unique subjects. In the future, I intend to go on a world tour and explore different people, arts, art galleries and artists from places. Besides, I will soon resume delivering motivational lectures at schools and colleges in Punjab. I used to be a speaker before moving to Canada and I miss that role. Workwise, I look forward to performing more challenging roles that satiate the desire of acting within me. I feel I am unused as an artist and there is a lot more I can offer.

Your fitness mantra

I’m not very fond of going to the gym and developing a muscular body. My fitness mantra simply includes walking, running and optimal eating. Neither do I overeat, nor do I restrict myself from consuming what I love. Besides, I actively work on mental fitness. I don’t overthink or stress my mind. I always train my mind to focus on the positive side of things and stay content.

Mantra of success in acting

Being a good reader, listener and observer are the basic attributes of a successful actor. Besides, the capability to perform naturally and effortlessly makes one an accomplished actor. This is the mantra I follow. I develop my skills by learning from my surroundings, situations and people. Also, I give a lot of time and importance to practicing the art. To become a good actor, it is not important to exercise your muscles but your acting skills every day without fail.

The turning point in your life

The first was my daughter’s birth. It was a life-changing moment for me. The second was my resignation from the first job. Though the decision of leaving a permanent position got me a lot of criticism, it gave the artist within me the wings to fly. Moving to Canada was the third turning point. It was strange to see how industry folks lost touch with me and I was almost forgotten. However, I didn’t let all this hamper my spirit and continued my quest.