Speaking about Vanga‘s directorial prowess, Sargun said that the director was so particular about everything in Animal that even in the last scene one of Ranvijay Singh’s (played by Ranbir Kapoor) Sikh cousins looks straight into Aziz’s (also played by Ranbir Kapoor) eyes fearlessly and accepts his fate like a lion.
“He (Vanga) didn’t do it just because he wanted to do it. He kept the valour of Punjabis intact throughout the film, and Arjan Vailey described it very, very well. So I think even Bollywood is recognizing that we are known for much more than that (being funny),” Sargun told DNA.
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Sargun’s sentiments were echoed by Gippy who also commended Vanga’s efforts in portraying Sikh characters authentically and with respect. He also mentioned that Animal found success in Punjab because audiences appreciated its portrayal of Punjabi culture and values.
Gippy noted that there have been significant changes in the Hindi film industry’s approach towards representing Punjabis on screen. “Previously, there was a stereotypical image of Punjabis on screen. People would often hear about Punjab but had not seen it. As a result, the Punjabi or Sikh characters portrayed were often based on the creators’ imagination. Hum dekhte the and we used to say ‘Yeh kaha ke Punjabi hai’, ‘Kaun hai yeh log?’ Now, there is big and good change in the industry,” he explained.
Gippy also revealed that he has been approached numerous times to sing songs in Bollywood, but there have been occasions when he informed the composer, “I can’t sing this because it’s not Punjabi.” He hopes that following the release of Animal, the portrayal of Sikhs and Punjabi culture in Hindi films will see further improvement.