Punjabi movie Sarabha opens in record theatres in US, Canada

Toronto, Nov 3 (IANS) Sarabha, the Punjabi film on young Indian revolutionary Kartar Singh Sarabha, who was hanged by the British at the age of 19 in Lahore in 1915, has drawn a huge response from audiences in Canada and the US as it hits theatres worldwide on Friday.

Sarabha, who was one of the youngest Indians to be hanged by the British, inspired Bhagat Singh to become a revolutionary. 

Directed by Los Angeles-based director Kavi Raz, Sarabha is the first-ever Punjabi film (with English subtitles) to open in a record 55 theatres across the US alone. In Canada too, the movie is being screened at multiple theatres in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and other cities.

Enthused by the huge response to his film, director Kavi raz told IANS: “Sarabha isn’t your typical Punjabi film. It is a historical document on the role of Gadar heroes in India’s Independence. 'Sarabha' was a young boy of just 19 who gave his life for his motherland. He inspired the great revolutionary Bhagat Singh.”

Kavi said: “I am overwhelmed by the response to 'Sarabha'. There has been a rush for advanced bookings. It is something new for a Punjabi film in North America. People in cities such as Surrey (Canada) and Fresno (US) printed and distributed posters and flyers to promote this patriotic film. I am overwhelmed.”

The director said he will try to meet Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to request him to make this film a part of school curriculum to inculcate inspiration and pride in the future generations of Punjabis.

Born at Sarabha village, now part of Ludhiana, Sarabha sailed to the US at the young age of 15 to study at the University of Berkeley. 

But once in the US, young Sarabha was sucked into the Gadar movement launched by Indian expatriates on the west coast of the US and Canada to free India from British rule.

Shot in Ganganagar in India, Canada and the US, the film has Chandigarh boy Japtej in the lead role of Sarabha.

The film director also plays the role of the tallest Gadar leader Sohan Singh Bhakna in his film.

After his 2017 film The Black Prince on Maharaja Duleep Singh, Sarabha is Kavi Raz’s second film on historical Punjabi figures.

Photo courtesy of Instagram (@sarabhafilm)