The premier showing of Ekam film by Babbu Mann was held on Sunday 18 April in Ludhiana, Punjab. I was invited (I have a small guest appearance in this film) as were a select gathering of people; noted amongst them was poet Surjit Pattar, Shamsher Singh Sandhu and about 100 more invitees.
The film is basically an attempt to put together the many ailments effecting the Punjab and the farming community. It will be keenly watched by Punjabi youth in the villages where Babbu’s appeal mostly lies. However, it lacks good direction and conclusiveness as this keeps cosmetic touches on bigger issues, with a leftist leaning. Though they seek big-time money, Punjabi cinema has to undergo a serious uplifting before it can emerge with a maturity. Babbu too needs to grow if he is to sustain his era or innings in the industry. ‘Ekam’ is certainly a good attempt to begin with.
