Rohit Jugraj is no stranger to filmmaking. Having learnt the ropes from ace personalities like Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Ram Gopal Verma, who have completely different worlds of aesthetics and storytelling, Rohit has carved a niche of his own in the Indian film industry. He is known for writing the Abhishek and Sonam Kapoor starrer Players. Surprisingly, he is the only director to have given hits with two of Punjab’s biggest superstars, Diljit Dosanjh and Gippy Grewal. Today he is ready to launch a benchmark project of his career. Rohit Jugraj’s Chamak is set to be counted among the biggest and most ambitious web series of 2023. Chamak follows the gritty world of the behind-the-scenes glamour of the Punjabi Music industry. It is a bold take on the crimes prevalent and an emotional turmoil-filled journey through the eyes of an artist.
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One can not stop and wonder if a pan-India audience will relate to a web series on Punjabi Music. But Rohit has no apprehensions as he states “The whole of India and Indians outside India will lap up the content. Punjabi music has received so much love over the years. We have never attended one party or wedding without a Punjabi song playing. Diljit Dosanjh went to Coachella. If there is so much deep love for Punjabi music everywhere irrespective of the language, then why will the audience not want to know the reality of the industry?”.
He continues “As fans, their curiosity naturally extends to wanting to delve into the inner workings of this world. What is behind the bling, the Chamak of the industry? There is a dark underbelly which exists behind this industry. As passionate as this industry is in a good way, there is also another side to it. Jealousies run rampant. Wouldn't audiences be intrigued to understand the reasons behind the extortions, the motives driving the crimes, and the complexities surrounding numerous assassinations?.” He adds passionately. Passion and gumption are two words which come to mind seeing Rohit talk about Chamak.
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The series is launching on 7th December on Sony Liv and stars Paramvir Singh Cheema, Manoj Pahwa, Gippy Garewal, Mohit Malik, Isha Talwar, Mukesh Chhabra, Prince Kanwaljit Singh, Suvinder (Vicky) Pal, Akasa Singh. The series will witness songs by singers Gippy Grewal, Mika Singh, Malkit Singh, MC Square, Afsana Khan, Asees Kaur, Sunidhi Chauhan, Kanwar Grewal, Shashwat Singh, and Harjot Kaur
When asked why a web series and not a film? Rohit explains “The expanse of material is monumental; the first season merely scratches the surface. So many layered stories cannot be contained within the confines of a single film. I plan to make at least 7 seasons. Punjabi music has a lot to offer with its many stories, and the singers are a big part of it. As we go through all of this, we'll uncover different aspects of this rich cultural mix”
Having had the opportunity to work with the Hindi film industry as well as the Punjabi film industry, we wonder what his experiences tell him about the similarities and differences in these content spaces. “There is one stark difference between the Hindi content space and a regional content space, not just Punjabi. In a regional industry, everyone is one team, like a family. Even if there are feuds and fights, one learns to live with each other. A reason behind this could be that we have to make blockbusters on tight budgets. When it comes to the Hindi industry, things scale up. There is more professionalism here. The regional industries have more passion, which all industries will have. We are telling stories which require emotion and passion, it's not mathematics or logic” says Rohit as he signs off to tend to the long line of tasks ahead of him before Chamak’s release, since he is the writer-director-producer of the series. Stakes are high, now we need to wait and watch if today's curious audience will watch through the cobweb that Chamak is seeking to unfold.
