In the realm of Pollywood, director and writer Jagdeep Sidhu has carved a distinctive niche with his storytelling prowess, evident in cinematic masterpieces such as ‘Qismat,’ ‘Sufna,’ and ‘Moh.’ However, ‘Moh,’ standing out as a testament to Sidhu’s ability to redefine sad romantic narratives, faced a different destiny at the box office.
Despite delivering a mature love story rich with pure emotions, innocent love, and heart-wrenching pain, ‘Moh’ struggled to achieve substantial success in theaters. Although the film received affection from audiences, it failed to translate that admiration into significant box office numbers.
Over a year since its theatrical release, persistent queries and requests from netizens to stream ‘Moh’ online have overwhelmed Jagdeep Sidhu. While he appreciates the ongoing curiosity about the film, it pains him to acknowledge that if this level of affection had been showered on the movie during its theatrical run, it could have transformed the landscape of Punjabi cinema.
In a recent Instagram story, Sidhu shared his sentiments, stating, “Even to date, 70 to 80 percent of questions are related to Moh. The kind of appreciation Moh got, none of my other movies got. Still, the film tanked at the box office. You expect new stories and growth like South from us, but then when good work goes unappreciated, it breaks the producers from investing money and demotivates the writers and directors from experimenting. We make movies for theatres, watch them in theaters, please. If Moh had gotten this much love when it was released in theatres, a lot would have changed.”
The plea resonates with the challenges faced by filmmakers striving to bring fresh narratives and growth akin to the South Indian film industry. The struggle lies in garnering recognition and appreciation for experimental works, ultimately impacting producers’ willingness to invest and demotivating writers and directors from pushing creative boundaries.
Currently engrossed in the shooting of ‘Jatt & Juliet 3,’ starring Diljit Dosanjh and Neeru Bajwa, Jagdeep Sidhu’s plea sheds light on the importance of supporting films in theaters. The movie is scheduled for release in June 2024.
