Local playwright on crusade to preserve mother tongue

Dr Sompal Heera, a renowned playwright, director, actor and theatre artiste, dedicated his life to preserving and protecting the Punjabi language and culture at home. Now, he is taking his mission to a global audience through international stages and world forums. From humble beginnings, where he would travel on his cycle to educate people about the importance of Punjabi language to be invited by foreigners to showcase his work abroad, Heera’s journey is a testament to his unwavering passion and resolve.

When Heera recently staged his thought-provoking solo play ‘Bhasha Vahinda Darya’ at Southall in London, the audience was mesmerised by the portrayal of his love and sensitivity towards the Punjabi language. Dr Heera, through his exceptional performance, sparked a crucial conversation about the preservation of the mother tongue in the face of global onslaughts, while highlighting the increasing influence of the alien language on Punjabi psyche, which considers Punjab and Punjabi unfit for themselves and their progeny.

The Eastwood Park in Glasgow Scotland was filled with elation and exhilaration when Heera enacted yet another solo play ‘Challa’ depicting the Punjabi youth, once known for their robustness, now forced to lead a life of submission to earn their livelihood in distant lands. The play highlights the loss of their home, identity, language and culture. “The theme of displacement, cultural preservation and quest for self-discovery has been subtly presented by Sompal in his one-hour solo play, which left the audience certainly wanting for more,” shared the legendary literary artist Dr Rajinder Brar.

Sahitya Akademi Award Winner Atamjit Singh, who appreciated Heera’s commitment to protect his mother tongue from global assaults, shared that he had come all the way from Punjab to England to make his Punjabi brethren realise that abandoning their mother tongue, for a language which was forcibly transplanted, was no less than a crime. “Deserting one’s mother for the sake of false validation shall render us orphans. If the roots shake, the tree is sure to fall one or the other day, is the food for thought, which the play offers,” he added.

“Sompal’s plays foregrounds the linguistic erosion which has led to the loss of cultural identity and heritage. The damage has certainly resulted in a physical, mental and psychological disconnect between generations. The identity crisis suffered therein, has produced deformed mentalities, with none to reach out for solace and support,” said Harkirat Kaur Chahal, a notable Punjabi writer.

“Heera’s performance had the capacity to transcend language barriers. as native spectators there could sense his passion and dedication to his cultural heritage, though unfamiliar to the Punjabi tongue,” expressed Nirmal Jaura, Director of Student Welfare, PAU.

Norman Harford, who was a part of the audience opined, “The cultural exchange and cross-cultural understanding brought about by Sompal through his solo play could reach straight to our hearts. I am a stranger to the Punjabi tongue but Heera’s emotions reached the inner recesses of my heart and left an indelible effect.”

Dr Heera has been doing theatre for the last 33 years. He has directed 100 plays, acted in 102 and made his students present more than 2,500 on the stage at various occasions. He has trained about 5,500 students of 26 colleges and 21 schools for enactments, including drama, skits, choreography, bhand, mime, mimicry, idiomatic dialogue, swag, historical and nukkad nataks etc. Many of his students have acted in films, serials, web series, songs and theatre and still others have risen to the position of directors, lyricists, playwrights and professors.

An assistant professor at Guru Nanak National College, Doraha, Dr Heera has till date written 60 plays. His ‘Paniya di Parvaaz’ won him the Nanda Award. He has acted in movies such as Heer Ranjha, Yamla Pagla Deewana, Saadi Vakhri hai Shaan, Vattar and Hoshiar Singh. He opened the Gurdeep Kaur Dhalla Memorial Theatre in Raikot, where 1,500 spectators sit and watch plays every week. Recipient of the IC Nanda Award, Harpal Tiwana Award, Gursharan Singh Memorial Award, Safdar Hashmi Lifetime Achievement Award, Bhai Jaita Award, Dalip Singh Mast Rangkarmi Award, ten times best director and eight times best actor award, De Heera has definitely redefined Punjabi theatre with his groundbreaking contributions.

Harpratap Brar, president, Guru Nanak Managing Board, Doraha, said that Sompal was a ‘heera’ in the true sense of the term. “He has not only made himself but also his institution proud by carrying the Punjabi language to the global stage. Sompal has definitely revolutionised Punjabi theatre by leaving an indelible mark on its cultural landscape,” he added.