May 2019 can be a historic month: The all-important next month has prospects of becoming a game-changer in the Punjabi film industry.
There is no disagreeing with the reality that the months of May and June have given the Punjabi film industry its biggest hits in this decade. For an industry which thrives on families visiting the cinema halls and watching movies together, there can’t be a better phase than a (probable) two-month summer vacation.
While there are several potentially successful projects slated to release in May and June this year, what makes May 2019 a rarity is the fact that as many as three clashes (release of more than one movie on a single Friday) will be happening in the same month.
Given the canvas of the Punjabi industry, more than movie releasing per week has invited diverse views in the past. While it is still a rarity (even in 2019), the fact that it will happen thrice next month is surely a sign in the affirmative for the industry.
The first Friday in May 3 will witness Sukhminder Dhanjal’s ‘Blackia‘ and Parmish Verma and Uday Partap Singh’s ‘Dil Diyan Gallan‘ locking horns with each other. The second Friday in May 10 will see Manpreet Brar’s ‘15 Lakh Kadon Aayuga‘ and M. Hundal’s ‘Lukan Michi’ contesting against each other.
Two Punjabi movies releasing on two consecutive Fridays is as scarce as hen’s teeth. Despite sounding utterly infrequent, it has it in it to give a lesson of the utmost importance to others.
All eyes on May 24
While this iconic occasion deserves to have an idle Friday (Friday 17) in a bid to understand its teachings, what will follow with arguably be the biggest clash of the year in Punjab. With Simerjit Singh’s ‘Muklawa‘ and Karan Guliani’s ‘Chandigarh Amritsar Chandigarh’ releasing on May 24, that weekend looks set to enter the record books.
While six Punjabi movies in a month is unusual, it brings with it an plentiful excitement and options (for the audiences) and nervousness (for the producers).
It is true that anyone out of four producers could have eased his/her stance by shifting at least one movie to the vacant Friday in May 17. Having said that, it appears unlikely at this point in time.
Notwithstanding these triad of clashes, here is hoping for every movie to yield success and make May 2019 enter the record books of Punjabi cinema. With the ball in the audiences’ court now, here is also hoping for them to make the right decisions in the imminent month.