At the recent trailer launch of Dharma Productions’ first Punjabi film, Akaal, Karan Johar took a nostalgic trip down memory lane, reminiscing about the days when Bollywood was dominated by Punjabi producers and directors. The filmmaker recalled how, during his younger years, industry stalwarts such as Manmohan Desai, Yash Chopra and J Om Prakash all conversed in Punjabi on their sets. His own father, Yash Johar, was no exception, as he too communicated in Punjabi with his crew.
Karan fondly shared, “All the producers and directors came from Punjab. Whether it was Manmohan Desai’s set or Yash Chopra’s set or J Om Prakash’s set, everyone used to speak in Punjabi. The hero was Punjabi. The heroine was a South Indian. It was almost like a template.” His upbringing was immersed in Punjabi, yet he humorously admitted that his linguistic ease would be disrupted when his mother spoke Sindhi in the mornings. “My father used to speak to the distributors in Punjabi in the morning. I knew Punjabi very well, but my problem would be when my mother woke up and started speaking in Sindhi. That’s where I got confused. I completely understand Punjabi,” he added.
Even today, the language continues to hold its place in Bollywood, with actors like Akshay Kumar often switching to Punjabi, particularly during negotiations. Karan Johar amusingly recounted, “Even today, when Apoorva Mehta is the main negotiator and Akshay Kumar doesn’t want Apoorva to know what he wants to say, he talks to me in Punjabi (laughs).”
As Dharma Productions gears up for the release of Akaal, Karan is thrilled to be a part of this new venture. Starring Gippy Grewal, the film is set to hit cinemas on April 10 in both Hindi and Punjabi. Speaking at the trailer launch, which took place on Tuesday, March 18, Karan expressed his excitement for the collaboration. Quoting the famous line from Jerry Maguire, he remarked, “Like they say in Jerry Maguire, ‘You had me at Hello.’ I’d say they had me at Gippy Grewal.” The filmmaker also took a moment to extend his gratitude to Gippy Grewal for partnering with Dharma Productions on this significant project.
With Akaal, Karan Johar embraces his Punjabi roots, celebrating a language and culture that has long been an intrinsic part of Bollywood’s rich history.
