Sarbala Ji Review: Teaser Disappoints, Weak Narrative Overshadows Talented Cast Of Gippy, Ammy And Sargun Mehta
. The tagline, "Eh Laade de naal fit behnda jiwe Chaabi de naal Taala ji," is trendy but does not reveal anything much about the story or characters.
There has been a spate of content-driven storytelling in recent years in Punjabi cinema, but the teaser of "Sarbala Ji" is a lost opportunity, even though it has starry cast and ambitious cultural ambitions.
To begin with, the teaser relies too much on cultural stereotypes and nostalgia, which sound old and not fresh. The tagline, "Eh Laade de naal fit behnda jiwe Chaabi de naal Taala ji," is trendy but does not reveal anything much about the story or characters. Instead, the teaser is more concerned with appearing good rather than revealing the story to us in a clear manner.
Whereas the teaser boasts industry giants like Gippy Grewal, Ammy Virk, Sargun Mehta, and Nimrat Khaira, none of their talent is revealed in the teaser. The eyes of their characters are too ordinary to elicit an emotional response. One cannot figure out what the conflict of the story is, or why we are to be interested in these characters other than their familiar faces.
The second letdown is the editing and pacing of the teaser itself. It seems to jump from one landscape shot to another with no impact on any narrative thread. Navneet Misser's cinematography, gorgeous as it is, cannot hide the fact that there isn't much depth being given in terms of the story.
Background score and music seem generic, without the Punjabi heart that tends to keep regional cinema running.
Director Mandeep Kumar and writer Inderjit Moga may have wanted to make a rich tale of humanity and culture, but the teaser does not do them justice. Instead, it confuses rather than intrigues. The film seems to be trying to be too much of an epic of culture without telling us how we should care.
In short, "Sarbala Ji" teaser may be wonderful as a treat for hard-core fans of the actors, but standalone audience members are not given sufficient curiosity or novelty. Unless the full trailer gives us a better sense of story and emotion, the movie will be yet another overhyped attempt to sell Punjabi culture as a film product without genuine storytelling potential.
