First Sikh Superhero Film; Project on Panjabi Cinema

Growing up in Wolverhampton, UK director Flex Singh said he 'never really saw someone who looked like me' in films from Hollywood or British cinema. His film, Ninth Master: Way of a Warrior, is a martial arts action movie with themes of courage and discipline but 'rooted in modern Britain'. Flex says his creation is 'the world's first Sikh superhero film in the English language' and adds, 'For me, the turban is my crown. It is my identity, my strength and my responsibility.' The film was developed over four years and shot in locations including Birmingham, Wolverhampton, London, and Wales. Meanwhile, a retired employee of the Reserve Bank of India, 75-year-old Bhim Raj Garg, author of the book The Illustrated History of Punjabi Cinema (1935–1985) is currently working on a book-cum-documentary on Panjabi cinema (1935–2025) to be aired on the state-run television channel Doordarshan. Garg says, 'I grew up listening to Panjabi songs on the radio. Back then, on radio they announced only the singer's name, neither film, nor music director, lyricist etc. My pursuit into Panjabi cinema began with the search for answers on those creating this world.' Panjabi cinema has had three stages: silent era, pre-Partition of India in 1947, and Golden era 1950s–60s. Garg says, ‘In the silent era, theater was strong, cinema did not get much draw. When Daughters of Today was released in 1924, in Lahore eight theater spaces were converted to cinema halls but the audience was sparse.’ With sound, Panjabi cinema moved to Ishq-e-Punjab alias Mirza Sahiban released in 1935 and Krishen Dev Mehra's Pind Di Kuri in 1937 created a huge stir. Mangti released in 1942 ran 60 weeks in a single theater. 'The tragedy with Panjabi cinema is that almost all films from the silent era to Partition of India in 1947 are lost. There is no print, brochure, nothing is left. Four big film studios in Lahore—two owned by Pancholis, one by Satya Dev Narang and another by Shouries were set on fire during Partition, reduced to ashes.’ The Golden age of Panjabi cinema coincided with great music. Films like Gul-e-Bakawali, Heer Syal, Sohni Mahiwal, and Yamla Jatt were backed by great music by Ghulam Haider.