Love Punjabi cinema, haven't gone out of my way to look for Hindi movies: Neeru Bajwa

Hindustan Times

6 hours ago

New Delhi, Punjabi cinema star Neeru Bajwa says she is not averse to working in Bollywood, but she hasn't gone out of her way to seek Hindi movie roles. Love Punjabi cinema, haven't gone out of my way to look for Hindi movies: Neeru Bajwa
Known for her standout performances in Punjabi blockbusters such as "Madhaniyan", "Waah Ni Punjabne", "Sardaar Ji 3", and "Jatt & Juliet 3", Bajwa recently featured in a cameo opposite John Abraham in "Tehran".
She is currently promoting her new Punjabi film "Phaphey Kuttniyan", which revolves around two women who con their way through parties. Bajwa has paired up with actor Tania for the movie.
"I've always loved Punjabi cinema, it's my first love. I'll keep doing Punjabi films as long as the audience wants to see me. I haven't gone out of my way to look for Hindi roles," Bajwa told PTI in an interview here.
Talking about how "Tehran" came her way, Bajwa revealed it was through a casting director she had worked with earlier on her Punjabi film "Kali Jotta".
'She told me about the role, I loved it, and things just fell into place. I don't know many people in Bombay, so I believe that if a role is meant for me, it will find its way to me,' she recalled.
She said the film's lead star John Abraham was down-to-earth and humble.
"We had a lot of women on set, and he made sure everyone was comfortable. It was a great experience.'
Written by Jagdeep Sidhu, "Phaphey Kuttniyan" is set for release on August 22 in theatres.
Sidhu said the film blends comedy and suspense in a unique narrative that breaks away from conventional Punjabi storytelling.
'While we were working on the story, the characters started to form naturally... As they developed, we began imagining which actor would fit best. We were lucky to get our first choices—Neeru ma'am and Tania.'
Sidhu, known for writing Punjabi romantic films like "Qismat", "Qismat 2", "Sufna", and "Lekh", admitted that writing comedy and suspense was far more challenging than romance.
'In romance, emotions flow more naturally. But with comedy or suspense, every scene and every punchline needs precise timing and often multiple rewrites,' he explained.
Tania, who made her debut with Sidhu's directorial venture "Sufna", credited Sidhu for his versatility as a writer.
'He can dive into any genre and still bring depth to the story. Most writers stick to one style, but not him. Since his first directorial was my debut, we have a strong bond, we're honest with each other, and that helps build richer characters.'
When asked about dream collaborations, Tania humorously added, 'We want to build our franchise. If this film does well, we hope it becomes a legacy and yes, maybe we'll earn some royalties too... But sure, if 'Game of Thrones' ever calls...'
Bajwa said she is open to a good irrespective of the language or the industry.
'I don't have a specific wishlist. I'm open to French cinema, Hollywood, and Iranian cinema... I just love good stories,' she said.
Tania, however, hopes to feature in a romantic film directed by Imtiaz Ali someday.
"Phaphey Kuttniyan" is directed by Prem Singh Sidhu. The movie also stars Gurbaaz Singh, Nisha Bano, Amrit Amby, Prabh Bains and Ashok Tangri.
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