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On Tuesday, March 18, the trailer for renowned filmmaker Karan Johar's first Punjabi film, Akaal, under his Dharma Productions banner, was launched. With this film, Karan Johar steps into the Punjabi film industry as a producer. The trailer launch event saw the film's star cast and makers in attendance.
Karan Johar, Gippy Grewal & Cast Shine at Trailer Launch
At the event, filmmaker Karan Johar, Gippy Grewal, Gurpreet Ghuggi, child artist Shinda Grewal, Nimrat Khaira, and Nikitin Dheer were present.
At the event, Karan Johar and Gippy Grewal were seen in suits, while actress Nimrat Khaira looked stunning in an Indian outfit.
Karan Johar
At the start of the event, Karan Johar spoke about his roots, sharing, “My father was Punjabi, and his connection was with Punjab, Delhi, Shimla, and Lahore. He had a deep attachment to Punjabi culture and always encouraged me to speak Punjabi. But my mother was Sindhi, so we had to balance between both languages. Today, I am proud that my father, wherever he is, would be happy to know that Dharma Productions' first Punjabi film is launching today.”
He further added, “For this film, I couldn’t have asked for a better and stronger collaborator than Gippy Grewal. He’s a remarkable artist, and his production house’s name, ‘Humble Motion Pictures,’ is absolutely perfect. His humility is his biggest virtue. His career has inspired us greatly, and his contribution is immense. I want to thank everyone who helped bring us together for this film.”
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Gippy Grewal
Gippy Grewal took the stage next, expressing his gratitude, “First of all, thank you, Karan Paji! Whenever we make a film, we all have a dream. This film, too, has been a big dream for me. Years ago, when I decided to enter direction, we didn’t have the funds, so I decided to start with a small film. I made Ardaas, and that’s when we launched ‘Humble Motion Pictures.’ Since then, we have been continuously making films, and today we’ve reached Akaal with Karan Johar.”
Gurpreet Ghuggi’s Speech:
Punjabi actor Gurpreet Ghuggi spoke emotionally, saying, “There was a time when our films only played on 20 screens, and today, we are making a film with a giant like Karan Johar. For me, this is a very emotional moment.”
Nimrat Khaira
Nimrat Khaira, the film’s actress, humbly shared, “I feel I’m too young for this film. All the artists in this film are incredibly talented. We shot the film beautifully, and I truly enjoyed working with everyone.”
Nikitin Dheer
Actor Nikitin Dheer, also a part of the film, shared his excitement about being a part of Akaal, saying, “I have been looking for a great film for a long time. When Gippy Grewal called me to offer this film, I was thrilled. My father has worked with Gippy in the past, and I’m honored to be part of this film. It feels like a dream come true for me. Thank you so much, Gippy Ji, for choosing me for this film.”
Media Round
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A question was raised regarding Gogi Paji’s film Mastaan and whether it gave him the courage to attempt such a large-scale action drama. Gippy Grewal responded, “Earlier, we didn’t have the budget, but with the increasing demand at the box office, films are now being made on a much bigger scale. When films are accepted, people’s courage increases. As for Gogi Paji, his work is always outstanding, regardless of the film's success or failure. He is like an elder brother to me.”
When asked whether the set’s atmosphere reminded Karan Johar of his childhood, where everyone spoke Punjabi, Karan Johar said, “Yes, when everyone on set spoke in Punjabi, it took me back to my childhood. There was a time when everyone was Punjabi. Every set, whether it was Manmohan Desai’s, Yash Chopra’s, or Jai Prakash’s, everyone spoke Punjabi. The heroes were Punjabi, the heroines came from the South, and directors and producers were all Punjabi. It was a kind of template. At home, my father spoke Punjabi, and my mother spoke Sindhi. So, I understood Punjabi completely.”
On Criticism of ‘Nadaaniyan’
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Regarding the criticism of the film ‘Nadaaniyan’ (starring Ibrahim Ali Khan and Khushi Kapoor), Karan Johar quoted a famous line from a Rajesh Khanna song "Kuch to log kahenge, logon ka kaam hai kehna... chhodo bekaar ki baatein, beet na jaye raat."
He added, “These nameless people have their own issues. I feel sorry for them. My problem is with the trolls. I respect them, but some people don’t realize that the person I’m talking about is someone’s son or daughter. Their parents will read it, and it may hurt them.”
Gippy Grewal commented, “This is Ibrahim and Khushi’s first film. When Saif Ali Khan’s film came out, it also had mixed reactions. That’s just how it is. You can always take criticism positively.”
About Akaal’s Release
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The film Akaal is set to release on April 10, 2025, in cinemas, and audiences will be able to watch it in both Hindi and Punjabi. The film is directed by Gippy Grewal.
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