A powerhouse of talent, filmmaker Sukhdeep Singh Brar has set out on a journey to make a difference with his very first foray into mainstream cinema.
31-year-old Brar who hails from Bathinda in Punjab has written, directed and produced ‘Kujaat’- a movie that shines the spotlight on the prevalence of the caste system in the state.
The film is based on a real-life incident last year in which a group of lower caste Dalit labourers were allegedly subjected to social and religious boycott by upper caste farmers in the village of Dhandiwal near Sangrur. The incident made headlines and sparked statewide outrage which led to a high-level probe into the matter.
Kujaat- a film by Sukhdeep Singh Brar Source: Supplied
Speaking to SBS Punjabi, Mr Brar said he feels that the incident of July 2017 was just one of many that illustrate the fact that that caste discrimination against Dalits, who make up a third of the state’s population, continues to be a significant force in the social, economic and political life of Punjab.
“The issue of casteism needs to be highlighted especially amongst people of Punjab who are living in a delusion that it no longer exists,“ he said.
“My film can probably provide one or two temporary solutions to end caste based discrimination…but it’s the people of the state who need to tackle the real challenge. We need to educate and build a society that is based on respect for everyone’s rights.”- Sukhdeep Singh Brar
The ‘Perthnama’ group has organized a free screening of the film in Perth a day before its online release on May 27th.
Mr Brar who says he draws his inspiration from the unconventional Bollywood filmmaker Anurag Kashyap had previously attempted at making a silent movie entitled ‘Humanity’ which raises subtle questions about racism and other discriminatory behaviors.
The fledgling director is working on two other projects- one concerning women's issues and the other, a biopic on a serial killer from Punjab.
