TV queens are increasingly calling on Punjabi films

With Punjabi cinema opening up, the showbiz is attracting people here

from other industries too. With the advent of big Bollywood production

houses, artist too have migrated up north. One of the most significant

shifts have been of popular actresses from TV serials into Punjabi films.

What started as a one odd case with the likes of Kulraj Randhawa and

Surveen Chawla, who were also TV actors to begin with, has turned into a

drove, right from Sargun Mehta to latest Pooja Verma, Shraddha Arya

turning up at Punjab's doorstep. Kavita Kaushik, Sanjeeda Sheikh, Lovey

Sasan, are some of the other TV queens who took the leap into this

region's film industry. I solicited Punjabi films. I wanted to do them:

Shraddha Arya

Having started with TV commercials, south films, Delhi girl Shraddha, who

has roots in Haryana and pre-Partition Punjab, was taken in by Punjabi cinema after she saw a couple, including Jindua.

"Something told me, I should also do one Punjabi film," says Shraddha who is currently on the TV show Kundali Bhagya as

Preeta Arora, "After I contacted few managers, I got this offer for Babbu Maan's Banjara. I auditioned and got the role, which

seemed naturally made for me." Shraddha is not stopping at one film alone and is sure of doing more. Even though the

language doesn't come naturally to her, "since my parents never spoke to us kids in Punjabi, as is the case with most modern

families," Shraddha is coaching herself in Punjabi. "When I was growing up back in Delhi, the only Punjabi songs that played

were of Babbu. Though in Mumbai, Punjabi songs aren't played everywhere, I have them in my car playlist."

Even though Shraddha has debuted with an intense actor like Babbu, she is open to other genres, especially comedy. "Why

would I restrict myself to a particular genre? I love comedy too, which is popular in Punjabi industry. Comedy relaxes you, and

you come out of the theatre happy."