Image below, first from bottom: detail from 'Banda Singh Bahadar' by Kanwar Singh [ArtofPunjab.com]
Film/Stage
Banda Guru Ka
by MONA
A commercial designer by profession, a theatre person for the past 25 years and four movies under his belt, Hardeep Singh is fuelled by his passion to restore Sikh history to the place it deserves.
Ready with a light and sound show, Banda Guru Ka to commemorate the tri-centenary of the Khalsa rule under Banda Bahadar, Hardeep has plans to screen it in Punjab and other states.
"I think the Sikh heritage is not properly represented and Banda Guru Ka is a period drama to clarify the misconceptions around him," says Hardeep, director of the show.
The show tracks the story of Madho Das Bairagi who, after coming in contact with Guru Gobind Singh, rejected Hinduism, converted to Sikhi and, as a warrior and leader, established the first Sikh empire from Delhi to almost up till Kashmir.
Hardeep has to his credit around 300 stage plays on Punjab's religious and cultural heritage. He is also behind four films - Amar Khalsa, Dharam Di Chadar, Shaheedan De Sartaj, and Kab Gal Lavehnege.
"I made my first movie way back in 1998," shares Hardeep. "I started working with my own resources, ran into difficult times but my passion for restoring the lost glory of Sikhism did not waver me from my path," he says.
Working in a different medium, Hardeep considers all art forms to be equal but cautions, "Electronic media has a long-lasting impact. The distorted facts can lead to misconceptions forever."
Elated about Banda Guru Ka, Hardeep already has two more movies on the way, once again propagating Sikhism and its contribution to society.
[Courtesy: The Tribune]
April 19, 2010
Conversation about this article
1: Harpreet (U.S.A.), April 20, 2010, 10:48 PM.
I like the quote, which I came across, strangely on a Youtube video, about the Vaisakhi Nagar Kirtan in Surrey (British Columbia, Canada), displayed on a flex attached to one of the floats. It read: "Kaddi hundaa si saada vi raaj".