Punjabi actresses Sonam Bajwa and Tania, who play lead roles in Godday Godday Chaa, say the film drives home a powerful message

Sheetal

e have often heard the term Godday Godday Chaa in Punjabi language, but now there is film titled the same! Sonam Bajwa and Tania essay the lead roles in this female-centric movie, while actors Gitaz Bindrakhia and Gurjazz star opposite them.

Ask the actors if they were nervous about being newbies on the sets and Gitaz says, “While I had known Tania already, I met Sonam on the sets itself. We enjoyed shooting together. I think there’s nothing like male or female-centric films.”

Personal note

Sonam shares that the film tells a story about how ladies were denied many trivial things, such as going in a baraat for a marriage, “While growing up, my father didn’t let me eat non-vegetarian food as he believed my future in-laws would not like it. So, I could easily relate to one of the scenes in the film where the lady of the house wanted to enjoy chicken! But the most emotional scene for me was when small girls were shooed away from being a part of a baarat.”

Director Vijay Kumar Arora has two scripts on the same topic, but chose the one by Jagdeep Sidhu. He says, “It’s a film that talks about old customs and misogynistic practices. In fact, they are still prevalent in some villages of Punjab as well as other states. So, we hope to send a message home.”

Gurjazz, who has worked with the director for the first time, shares, “I was probably the most notorious on the sets. I had fun working with Vijay sir. Everybody was like family. We shot for the film in Sri Ganganagar and it was all amazing.”

Changing contours

Tania’s character is that of a girl who has a different mind-set from those of others in the family and the village. She shares, “After working in this movie, I feel very proud that I am a woman of the new generation. I would never have been able to survive these biases and stereotypes. But, of course, things are changing.”

Sonam and Tania last shared screen space in Guddiyan Patole in 2019. So, have they rekindled their bond through this one? Sonam explains, “It has been a long time since Guddiyan Patole. We, as humans and artistes, have grown so much and saw those changes in each other. To say we picked up from where we left would be wrong, but we acknowledged each other’s journey and bonded like sisters on and off the sets.”