Tarnvir Singh Jagpal extols Sidhu Moose Wala: Tarnvir Jagpal opened up on the delay behind his third movie and the immient suspenseful first look.

Having announced his third movie titled ‘Yes I Am Student‘ more than two years ago, director Tarnvir Singh Jagpal has already made audiences wait (both intentionally and unintentionally) for an elongated period of time. In what was a respite for people looking forward to the movie, it was only last Sunday that Jagpal took to his social media handles to announce the release date of the first look of the movie.

While a lot of makers in the Punjabi industry have announced new movies with or without release dates since the COVID-19 lockdown, Yes I Am Student will be the first movie to release a first look since the lockdown. Speaking in an interview with Punjabi Mania, Jagpal opened up on the reasons behind the delay that the movie has faced.

“It was very important for me to do adequate research and development after announcing the movie. Since I hadn’t been a student for a long time but wanted to give my utmost best to this subject, I personally went to Canada to realize the struggles of overseas students. Once we commenced shooting in Canada, we faced delays due to adverse weather conditions.

“Upon finishing the Canada schedule, we had a pending India schedule. We were shooting the movie till January last year and then COVID-19 happened. We had decided to share the promo in March [2020] and release the movie in mid-April but things didn’t go according to plan due to the lockdown,” Jagpal told Punjabi Mania.

For someone who has directed ‘Daana Paani‘ (2018), expecting a virtue of patience as an in-built quality isn’t asking for too much. Unperturbed by the delay, Jagpal expects it to work better for the movie citing audiences’ “evolved perspective”.

“Back in the day, I had this thought of the movie being ahead of its time. With people watching a lot of content across OTT platforms in the last year or so, I’m sure that they have an evolved perspective now. I mean people who watch Punjabi movies are also expecting a lot from us now. Fortunately, this delay has ensured me that people will accept the movie in a much better way,” Jagpal added.

When will ‘Yes I Am Student’ release?

Yes I Am Student, which will be sensational lyricist-turned-singer Sidhu Moose Wala’s first movie as a lead actor, will have its first look released on the auspicious occasion of Baisakhi, i.e., April 13. Being asked about the details of the same, Jagpal restrained himself from disclosing details about the first look but has added to the intrigue factor with respect to the same.

“Let’s not reveal that suspense [laughs]. I can assure you that people’s wait will be worth it. We’ve thought of something very interesting and unexpected for this Baisakhi. Let’s keep it to the first look for now. I wish we become successful in executing it the way we want to,” Jagpal said.

Jagpal, who continues to be unsure around the movie’s release date, admitted that they are playing the “waiting game” much like all his colleagues in the Punjabi film industry. Laying emphasis on how a month has it in it to see an improvement in the situation, Jagpal hinted at announcing the release date with the first look provided there’s an improvement.

“Honestly speaking, we are playing the waiting game for now. Releasing the first look had become important due to the delay. Things have messed up to some extent. Having said that, the situation might improve in the next month. In that case, we will ponder on the release date and might announce it alongside the first look,” Jagpal mentioned.

Tarnvir Singh Jagpal extols Sidhu Moose Wala for wholehearted effort in ‘Yes I Am Student’

Having tasted the financial aspect of film-making by co-producing Daana Paani, Jagpal has once again bankrolled a project although with assistance from his friends and family. The director-producer didn’t shy away from stating that professional names could’ve denied him the freedom he needed for this movie.

“I had my friends [Heritage Films] and family with me throughout this journey. It has been a collaborative process. Even during ‘Daana Paani’, I was the co-producer and I like making films this way. I strongly believe in this subject and needed this bit of freedom for it. I have given my heart and soul to this movie. Hence, producing it myself was the best option,” Jagpal further said.

However, Jagpal considers the incessant support provided by the lead pair in Moose Wala and Mandy Takhar to be Yes I Am Student’s biggest strength; way ahead of what financial aspects can measure.

“I must add that Sidhu’s support was the biggest strength for this movie. A lot of things were possible only because of him treating me as family. Had his support not been there, things would’ve been very different. Even Mandy [Takhar] for that matter. Both of them made my life very easy. I believe that there’s no better privilege [for a director] than your actors supporting you in whatever you ask of them,” Jagpal added.

While Jagpal had worked alongside Takhar in his directorial debut titled ‘Rabb Da Radio‘ (2017), he was vocal about the rationale behind signing Moose Wala as a protagonist in Yes I Am Student.

“Before an actor or singer, Sidhu is a very dear friend to me. Honestly speaking, I don’t think anyone could’ve performed the character of a student better than him. Because he has lived a student’s life and gone through similar struggles in Canada, it was very easy for him to enact all this. I mean to make someone else understand this character would’ve been a task for me,” Jagpal concluded.