Film Review Lahoriye: Meaningful yet entertaining

Deep Jagdeep Singh

Writer/Director Amberdeep Singh

Punjab was centrally exposed to the wrath of worlds biggest migration and massacre called partition.
Many celebrate it as independence, but Punjabis always remember it as a scar on their heart and soul.
Punjabs soil is not only fertile for grains, but for a lot of stories which still need to be explored. Sadat
Hassan Manto was one such story teller who explored numerous tragic stories based on Partition which
leaves the reader numb. While, Lahoriye is a true Punjabi film, which has a Story, substance, meaning,
acting as well as entertainment and leaves you with the a hope.

Kikar Singh (Amrinder Gill) is a clerk in a district transport office in the Fazilka district of Punjab. One day
he reluctantly goes to plow his family contracted land between barbered walls within Indian Territory at
Indo-Pak border. His life goes upside down when he catches a glimpse of Ameeran (Sargun Mehta)
working in a fruit orchid across the border, just a stone's throw away. He could not take off his gaze from
her and instantly falls for her. This becomes a routine fair and one fine day Kikar decides to go to Lahore
to meet his fate and fulfill his grandfathers last wish. Will he succeed in getting his unspoken love and
fulfilling that last wish, and what was his last wish, forms the rest of the story.

As a screen writer Amberdeep has come a long way, with Lahore, he goes one level up. He has chosen
best script for his direction career debut. Lahoriye starts with a back story from the days of partition
when Punjabis are running across the newly marked border line with their dire needed belongings
loaded on their heads to save their lives from their own brethren of other religion. From here film jumps
into contemporary Punjab full of colors and life, where Kikkars grandfather is the only contrast from the
remains of the past. Whole family, including his Son Harbans Singh (Sardar Sohi) and grandsons Kikkar
and Bikkar (Balwinder Bullet), wants to renovate the glorious Haveli into a modern Kothi. This contrast
perfectly depicts the irony of modern Punjab, where earlier land was a mother now a commodity. But
this is not the dominating theme of the film.

Lahoriye, riding on a rare love story, tries to tap into the forbidden territory of unity, brotherhood and
age old cultural ties. Without digging deep into political, religious or diplomatic contradictions Lahoriye
perfectly marks down the things which are more subtle obstacles between man to man connections than
the barbed wires. At an important intersection of the film, two politicians (played by Guggu Gill and
Hobby Dhaliwal) from both the sides vow to give up their political ambitions to unite the love birds.
Inter-exchange of the ways of greetings, Sikhs say Adaab and Muslims Sat Shri Akal to each other, is
another subtle depiction of coexistence and tolerance. Another important sub-theme of Lahoriye is
manly bias against women. An Indian guy choosing a Pakistani girl is okay with the patriarchal Kikkar as
well as his uncle, but if his own cousin Harleen (Nimrat Khaira) chooses a Pakistani guy for herself, both
could not stand it. At that very moment, Kikker even forgets that that was Harleen who stood like a man
for him when he had a little hope to get her fathers necessary approval to marry a girl living across the
border and of the other religion. Further, Ameenas refusal to marry Kikkar for his stance about Harleens
choice adds another dimension that how a woman could stand for a woman and against patriarchy
irrespective of their belief and nationality. Thus, Lahoriye not only stands just for brotherhood across the
border, it powerfully supports the sisterhood too.

With Lahoriye, Amberdeep proves that he can handle the scripts not only on papers but on screen too.
His opening black and white scenes have an archival as well as nostalgic look and set the sublime tone of
the movie. Instead of going to the realistic brutality like Manoj Punjs Shaheed-e-Mohabbat Boota Singh,
Amberdeep sticks to the nostalgic presentation of a man longing for his roots left behind in the land of
his forefathers. His opening and climax both are the strongest parts of the film. Even then Lahoriye is not
picture perfect. After an emotional and engaging opening from the past to the blossoming exciting love
story, Lahoriye starts dipping in the middle of the first half, thus leaving the interval sequence less
impactful. Similarly, the entire portion from mehandi to pre-climax seems dull and dragging, but ends
with a power packed climax as a saving grace.

After losing the evergreen on screen couple, Varinder and Preety Sapru, in the clutches of the dark days
of Punjab (Varinder being killed on sets by terrorist) the new era of Punjabi cinema could not produce
one such couple in more than a decade, who could be the brand ambassadors of our own cinema.
Paired together in trend setting Angrez and blockbuster Love Punjab, Amrinder Gill and Sargun Mehta, is
one such emerging on screen couple which could pull that legacy forward. Both are seen as a new trend
in Punjabi cinema. No doubt third time in a row (just in three years) as Ameeran in Lahoriye Sargun
Mehta once again proved that she is here to stay with her peculiar talent. Singer turned actor Amrinder
Gill, who tasted the success on the big screen after a huge struggle, is working hard on acting skills and
now trying to get roles suitable for him apart from choosing the right team to work with. Teaming up
with Amberdeep (who launched his own production house with Lahoriye) as a writer and now director
has been fruitful for him, while Amberdeep is getting the full freedom to explore his potential. In
Lahoriye as Kikkar Singh Amrinder looks natural and his charm will win him more applause. Apart from
his proven track record in writing and now a good start in direction Amberdeep shines in his acting too as
Tufiq, which is his best act till now. Debutante Nimrat Khaira (another singer trying her luck in acting)
looks promising in her smaller role. Another surprise of Lahoriye is Navraj Hans as Nazeeb Khan, who
perhaps for the first time gets a role which really suits him. All the supporting cast is perfectly okay.

With Lahoriye, after a long gap, Jatinder Shah bounces back with a collectible music album of the film.
Melodious (for a change not a Bhangra beat) Akhar is topping the charts across the globe. Songs Gutt
Ch Lahore and Paani Raavi De, marking young poet Harmanjeets debut as lyricist, boasts of rich Punjabi
vocabulary and cultural flavor along with good lyrical value. Harman should concentrate more on the
lyrics than poetry because his poetry has dominantly more lyrical value than subtlety. Having a quiver
overflowing with medieval vocabulary induced with fragrance of culture, Harman has a potential to
make a mark as lyricist.

Tariq Umar Khans production design is top notch. He has left no stone unturned to make this Indo-Pak
drama looks real and relatable. Subodh Srivastavs costumes are a perfect fit and Sandeep Patil captures
the right tone and essence through his black and white as well as vivid shots. Sadik Ali Shaikhs editing
gives the film a perfect look, especially his placement of inter-cuts of past and present at the climax
enhances the excitement and impact. Yet he left the wide scope of a crispier editing untapped at various
junctures.

Lahoriye reminds you about the past and its relevance in present without following the ongoing trend of
taking you on the nostalgic journey of retro Punjab. It is an appropriate example of a film successfully
trying to strike the balance between entertainment and meaningfulness.