8 Oct 2026
Gurvinder Singh on Rehmat, Punjabi cinema and independent filmmaking
In this episode of Frontline Conversations, Tatsam Mukherjee speaks with filmmaker Gurvinder Singh about his cinema, Punjab, memory, identity and the stories that remain outside mainstream narratives. Singh discusses his latest film "Rehmat", his experiences growing up as a Sikh in Delhi during the 1984 anti-Sikh violence, and how those memories shaped his understanding of religious identity and communal politics.
The conversation also looks at Singh’s journey through Punjab and his decision to make films in Punjabi, his engagement with caste inequality, the lives of marginalised communities and the folk performers he encountered while travelling through the region. He speaks about the lack of visibility and distribution for independent Punjabi cinema, the challenges of getting such films on OTT platforms, and the emerging generation of filmmakers in Punjab.
Singh also reflects on cinema literacy, the pressure to make films easily understood, and why audiences should be allowed to engage with films through experience rather than having everything explained to them. He discusses his approach to storytelling, the role of literature and self-learning in his own artistic journey, and his memories of growing up in Delhi in the 1990s without the internet.
Chapters:
00:00 | Gurvinder Singh on 1984, Sikh identity and Rehmat
01:21 | 1984 anti-Sikh violence: Gurvinder Singh recalls his childhood
04:59 | ‘Hindu Sikh bhai bhai’: Gurvinder Singh remembers hope after 1984
06:40 | Why Gurvinder Singh makes films about Punjab’s untold stories
08:58 | Why Punjabi cinema lacked a strong parallel cinema movement
10:11 | Caste, honour killings and untold stories in Punjab
13:58 | Punjab, farmers’ protests and politics in cinema
16:59 | Why Punjabi independent films struggle on OTT platforms
20:00 | Gurvinder Singh on Punjabi literature and Gurmukhi
23:14 | Why Gurvinder Singh wants audiences to feel, not understand everything
25:27 | Cinema literacy in India: Why films are often read through politics
28:23 | Naseeruddin Shah, actors and Gurvinder Singh’s cinema
31:05 | Gurvinder Singh on school, self-learning and growing up in 1990s Delhi
Perfect for:
Viewers interested in Indian independent cinema
Students and researchers of film and cultural studies
Filmmakers and film enthusiasts
Viewers interested in Punjabi cinema and literature
Anyone interested in cinema, memory, identity, and social realities
Credits:
Host: Tatsam Mukherjee
Editing: Razal Pareed
Producers: Muhammed Mukhtar and Kavya Pradeep M
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