Ardaas Karaan (film)
Ardaas Karaan is a 2019 Indian Punjabi-language social drama[3] film directed by Gippy Grewal from a screenplay co-written with Rana Ranbir. It is sequel to Ardaas and the second instalment in Ardaas series. Produced by Humble Motion Pictures; it stars Gurpreet Ghuggi, Gippy Grewal, Japji Khaira, Meher Vij, and Yograj Singh. The story of the film explores the generation gap and different conflicting opinion about life.
The principal photography of the film began on 12 January 2019 in Surrey, British Columbia, and it was theatrically released on 19 July 2019. As of 6 September 2019, it has grossed ₹31.25 crore globally.
Ardaas Karaan was announced by Gippy Grewal in September 2018 as Ardaas 2.[4][5][6] In an interview Grewal disclosed the film was earlier titled as Zindabad Yaarian.[7] Auditions for the film were held on early December 2018 whereas principal photography of the film began on 12 January 2019 in Surrey, British Columbia where Baljit Singh Deo served as cinematographer.[8][3] The film was edited by Baljit Singh Deo and its final cut ran for a total of 140 minutes and 8 seconds.[9]
Yograj Singh in a candid conversation with ETimes said, “The part that Malkeet Rauni is playing the movie, (grandfather to Shinda, and an elderly who is very disappointed by the way he is treated by his kids), was written keeping me in mind only. It was sketched for me initially. However, I got busy with some other work and couldn’t make it, and then it was passed on to Malkeet Rauni”.[10] Gurpreet Ghuggi’s character wasn’t revealed in trailers of the film, Ghuggi described his character as “Magic Singh” and added “[…] if would have been revealed earlier, it would have made things and the movie very clear and predictable. The Chapters (trailers) that we brought forward, only showed certain situations, if the veil would have been taken off from my character, then everything would have been revealed.”[11] Babbal Rai’s character is set in the bygone era and he will be seen in a shade different from his earlier performances, also he called himself as “director’s actor”.[12] Seerat Rana made debut with the film.[13] Gippy Grewal’s younger son Shinda aka Gurfateh Singh also made his debut with the film. Grewal in an interview disclosed that Shinda also gave proper audition for his part in the movie.[14]
The Telegraph Star rated the film 3/5 stars and stated that it was ‘wonderfully written’, praised the performances of all the actors, and found the music and cinematography as ‘top-notch’. In their opinion it was a perfect family entertainer.[18] Manpriya Singh of The Tribune gave 3/5 stars, felt that the film weaved a ‘humorous and philosophical narrative’. Singh praised the cinematography of Baljeet Singh Deo, but criticised the slowness of pace of the film. Singh opined, “…the dialogues are repetitively philosophical, circulating around life, love and the like, and only if the humour was used more than heavy-duty philosophical dialogues.”[19]
