Filmmaker Rajeev Kumar is on a mission to put Punjab’s art and theatre on the map—one documentary at a time. While making documentaries isn’t exactly mainstream in India, that hasn’t stopped him from chasing this passion project.
Known for his National Award-winning film Nabar, Rajeev’s roots go back to Surabhi, India’s longest-running cultural series. He even made a documentary on poet Avtar Singh Pash while still a student.
Recently, Rajeev has worked on two new documentaries exploring Punjab’s culture. One dives into its rich theatre history, the other highlights visual arts, tracing back to the Kushan era and Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s time.
The documentaries, ‘Punjab di Chitarkala’ and ‘Parda Uthan Te’, are packed with useful facts. From the first Punjabi play in 1895 to modern trends in art and theatre, they serve as educational goldmines.
Produced with help from NRI Jasjeet Singh, who earlier made ‘The Black Prince’, the films are being shown across colleges and art departments. Early response has been very positive.
Rajeev says making such films is tough but worth it. They’re set to go live on YouTube and Quam TV soon. He hopes the growing viewer appetite for meaningful content will keep the fire going—even without big money or government support.