Punjabi film festival on anvil

Chandigarh: With Punjabi films again attracting audiences in theatres and more films being made in recent years, the Punjab government Thursday announced that it will organise a film festival soon. Deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, who attended the premiere of Punjabi film ‘Ajj de Ranjhe’ here Thursday, told media persons that the Punjab government would organise the Punjabi Film Festival every year on the pattern of International Film Festival of India to give recognition to outstanding and offbeat Punjabi movies. Badal said that the way Punjabi cinema had evolved itself in recent years, it was giving stiff competition to Bollywood films in quality and entertainment. He said that the Punjab government was fully conscious of the need to promote Punjabi cinema and this festival would give that boost to Punjabi movies. ‘Ajj De Ranjhe’, directed by Manmohan Singh, known cinematographer in Bollywood who has directed hit films in Punjabi, is being released in India, Pakistan and several other countries. IANS