Way to Go: As artists go out of work, he stands out with online short flicks

Strap: The show must go on: Makna, a film and theatre artist, comes up with online short films amid crisis

Manmeet Singh Gill

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, August 31

At a time when the Punjabi entertainment industry is awaiting the green light to get back into action, the local theatre artists, who earlier got to work in Punjabi movies, are idling away days. But well-known theater and film artist Gurinder Makna has his hands full. He has come up with an idea to produce online short films.

Makna, a versatile actor, has been a part of 30 Hindi movies, two Hollywood flicks and many Punjabi movies. He has recently casted actors for ‘Departure’, an online short movie directed by Emmanuel Singh, based on the hardships of a migrant worker during the pandemic-triggered times. In another project, he has directed a short movie ‘Fathers’ day’.

Before this, he had started online live streaming of plays to keep in touch with the audience. “With more projects in the pipeline we would be able to provide work to more and more local artists. The featuring of short movies presently is not monetarily very rewarding but still it would help artists a little bit,” he said.

A renowned representative of the local theatre grounds in the Punjabi and Hindi movies worlds, Makna claimed, “In my career so far, I have helped at least 400 local artists get work in Punjabi and Hindi movies.”

Even as the state government had earlier on requests from the industry allowed shootings, Makna said that directors and producers are wary of the threat. “Making of a film is not a nine to five work. The shootings go on day and night. So despite relaxation, most big producers and directors are not ready to take the risk. He added that some song videos are being shot but not many artists get to work in these.

His take on industry’s current condition evokes a response of pointers for the newbies. “I always tell new artists to have a side-business apart from acting. Barring a few lucky people in industry, others cannot expect it to be a full-fledged career. But as the industry is still in its infancy, who knows what rewards would be there when it grows up.” He goes on: “With theatres and small projects off the charts these days, the artists are facing a huge crisis for which seniors should come to rescue.”