Gippy Grewal Says Focus Of Punjabi Industry Is More On Cinema Than OTT

Punjabi actor Gippy Grewal, who ventured into directing with his 2016 film Ardaas, has revealed that the Punjabi film industry is currently concentrating on theatrical releases. He noted that it will take a while before filmmakers in Punjab shift their focus to OTT platforms.

During an interview with PTI, Gippy Grewal said, “The whole focus of our Punjabi film industry is currently on cinema. The cinema of Punjab is getting huge and our target is to make it bigger.”

The actor further shared that Hindi cinema already has a substantial reach and can easily transition its content to OTT platforms. But Punjab cinema is still rising. “Maybe in another four to five years, we will shift to OTT platforms but right now everyone is concentrating on cinema,” the actor added.

Gippy Grewal also shared that the Punjabi film industry is growing its presence both internationally and in the Hindi-speaking regions of India. He cited the success of films like Jatt & Juliet and Carry On Jatta in international markets such as Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Canada. The actor also mentioned that his last 2-3 films have performed well across India, with a sold-out show in Chennai and he is hopeful for similar success with his latest release in cinemas.

In the same interview, Gurpreet Ghuggi praised shows like Tabbar and Kohrra for bringing Punjabi stories to a wider audience. He noted that these shows are set in Punjab and feature local actors and creators, but use a mix of Hindi and Punjabi to reach a broader viewership. “Eighty per cent of Punjabi language has been spoken in Tabbar but as Gippi said, if you have excessive content in Bollywood, then everything cannot come in cinema,” Gurpreet said.

Jasmin Bhasin, who is the lead actress in the film, also agreed that Punjabi filmmakers are currently targeting cinemas. She added, “In Hindi, there is a lot of OTT content because it is a huge industry. In Punjab, there is also web content and Punjabi cinema is gradually moving towards OTT content and it is growing in that space.”

Ardaas Sarbat De Bhale Di is the third installment in the Ardaas series, following Ardaas (2016) and Ardaas Karaan (2019).