You mention any good usual love story and it will have all the usual emotions of love, longing, pain, quest and sacrifice. But the moment you mention Heer Ranjha, the word ‘eternal’ is pre-fixed to all these emotions – eternal love, eternal longing, eternal quest and eternal sacrifice. Time is perhaps the ultimate test of greatness and it is a testimony to the enduring appeal of the story of Heer Ranjha that it continues to be a dearly loved part of the collective and individual memory of millions across the world even after almost 300 years.
According to Rajesh Banga of Eros International, Heer Ranjha which is the biggest Punjabi film is going to release in Punjab and worldwide on 13th Nov 2009. Harbhajan Maan and Neeru Bajwa starring Heer Ranjha is directed by Harjit Singh and Ksshitij Chaudhary and produced by Harbhajan Mann, Apinder Grewal and Gulzar Inder Chahal.
Ranjha, a flute playing ‘man-mauji’ who looks at life with a twinkle in his eye and a smile on his face, is shattered after the death of his loving father. He leaves his home in ‘Takht Hazaara’ after being disillusioned with the behavior of his family and wanders about aimlessly into the unknown world. However, his wandering feet and heart are arrested by just one glimpse of the mesmerizingly beautiful ‘Heer’ from ‘Jhang Siyaal’. Love blossoms and the two souls are soon pledged to each other for all eternity. However, the bitter ‘Kaidon’ and the wily ‘Qaazis’ conspire to separate the two lovers and Heer is forcibly married off to ‘Saidaa’ of ‘Rangpur Kherra’. A disconsolate Ranjha renounces the world and wanders around in search of Heer. The two lovers meet again only to be dealt a cruel blow by fate once again. Ultimately the two lovers meet a tragic end but their story doesn’t end with their deaths. It grows into a legend instead. Every time a ‘ghabroo’ sighs in love just as Ranjha must have centuries ago, and every time a ‘mutiyaar’ feels the tars of Heer flow from her own eyes, we know that the story of Heer Ranjha has lived on in the heart of every man who has known and experienced love.
Heer Ranjha, the film, tries to recreate the legend of the two lovers with utmost sincerity and historical accuracy. The best of technicians and artists form around the world have come together on this film with a common goal – the most authentic and lavish retelling of the story of Heer Ranjha. The dialogues have been beautifully crafted to express every emotion and every nuance that plays out in the story. The soulful music covers the entire melody of the story – right from the first note of the Ranjha’s flute as it wafted across the night air and whispered a promise into Heer’s ear, and up to the last painful note of the lovers’ last sigh. A lot of research work has been invested into creating the Punjab of those times. Authentic costumes, architecture and characters from centuries ago have been recreated so that the audience can be transported back to a time, centuries ago, when these two star crossed lovers walked the same earth that we tread upon today. Owing to the hard work that has been put into the making of Heer Ranjha, the team behind the film is sure that the audience will be able to have the soul stirring experience of actually touching the essence of Heer Ranjha in its purest form and will surely come back for more.
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