A Sindhi film after 19 years!

By Abdulla Mahmood, Gulf News Report
Published: October 17, 2007, 23:55


Despite the Sindhi community being actively involved in Bollywood, only 20 Sindhi films have been produced in the last 60 years.

Pyar Kare Dis (Feel The Power of Love) is the latest film to reach out to the 50 million Sindhis across the globe.
The man behind this film is Denmark-based Sindhi businessman M. Harwani, producer and founder of Sunico Films. In 1993, Harwani and Dev Anand jointly produced an Indo-Danish feature film, Pyar Ka Tarana which established the banner of Sunico Films.

Pyar Kare Dis is a love story and family drama directed by Kamal Nathani and stars Jiten Lalwani and Menka Lalwani.
The film also features popular actress Preeti Jhangiani in an item number and has popular Bollywood singers such as Shaan, Jagjit Singh, Roopkumar Rathod and Richa Sharma. The film set a record when it was released across India and simultaneously online. tabloid! caught up with Harwani for an exclusive chat when he was in Dubai to promote his film:

What made you produce the Sindhi film Pyar Kare Dis?

Love for my community drove me to make this film. It is my humble effort to encourage Sindhi cinema in particular and the language in general. There has been no Sindhi film made for the big screen in the last 19 years though a small feature film was made 6 years ago.

Do you think a Sindhi film is a wise business proposition?

I sincerely believe that Sindhi films have a lot of untapped potential. If a Bhojpuri film can do well, then a Sindhi film can too. I released my film in 16 cinemas in India, which is a very high standard for a Sindhi film. In order to reach out to Sindhis spread across various parts of the world, I released the film online through my website www.sunicofilms.com. There have already been 200,000 hits from all over the world with most visitors from the US, Pakistan and the UAE. With a 50 million Sindhi population all over, I am confident that my film will set a precedent and inject much-needed blood into the lifeless Sindhi cinema.

What is your film about and what are its highlights?

It is a tale about an NRI girl who visits Pune for her cousin's wedding only to get a culture shock when she finds her cousin's family in a mess. She takes matters into her own hands to sort out the family affairs and in the process finds the love of her life too. It is a feel-good entertainer. I had top Bollywood singers sing some lovely songs, which should eventually become popular.

Would a Sindhi film appeal to the younger generation who are now accustomed to the gloss and glamour of Bollywood?

In the past, Sindhi films were poor in content but my film is contemporary with a youthful appeal. It deals with the Sindhis of today, which makes it easily identifiable by all. In fact, the item number featuring Preeti Jhangiani is to attract the attention of the youth and in the process make them watch a film in their mother tongue.

Did you face any setbacks or have a tough time making this film?

My film was shot without any hitch except for the unprofessional attitude of Preeti Jhangiani. After she shot her item number, we paid her the full amount but later she did not have the decency to attend the press conference or film premiere despite confirming her presence. I wouldn't want to work with such an actress with no ethics in the future.

What are your future plans?

I want to make at least a couple of quality Sindhi films yearly. My next project will be called Sindhi Rocks and it is for the Sindhi youth. The film will be shot in India, Copenhagen and Dubai.

People's verdict

"It is a valiant effort from Harwani to revive Sindhi cinema by making such a relevant film that will appeal to all Sindhis."
- Bhagwan Kalyani

"It is very important to make a Sindhi film depicting the Sindhi community authentically as it will keep our culture alive"
- Mrs Sarla

"I believe that a Sindhi film like Pyar Kare Dis will make the Sindhi youth aware of their heritage and get them connected to the Sindhi community."
- Ramesh Vyas

"A majority of Sindhis prefer Bollywood films, but if quality and contemporary Sindhi films are made, there would be a sizeable population of Sindhis who would love to watch them in future."
- Ramesh Bhagwani