Movie Review: Lahoriye

After the success of the on-screen pairing of Amrinder Gill and Sargun Mehta in the 2016 film Angrej, it was only a matter of time that they would be roped to cast alongside each other yet again. From the time one enters the cinema hall till the moment the end credits start rolling, one cannot deny the fact that Lahoriye, in its very essence, is an amalgamation of brilliant acting, engaging music, clever direction and an enthralling storyline. 

Directed by reputed scriptwriter of the Punjabi film industry Amberdeep Singh, Lahoriye marks the directorial venture of this talented celebrity. And my word, what a way to kick-start a career. As the early reviews have begun to pour in, the audience has expressed their satisfaction at his direction, praising the movie’s innovative concept, along with the music, acting, and dialogues which take you to the place all these events are taking place. A romantic drama set across the border, Lahoriye is the story of two lovers who get separated after the Indo-Pak partition in 1947. 

With the earlier half of the movie focusing on the building of the love between the two, Gill and Mehta play the roles of village folk who reside in the same village in Punjab. 1947 was a difficult time for lovers who didn’t belong to the same community, and this is the case when it comes to our protagonists. The rising tension between families, the inherent hatred and the inability to accept people of the different cadre adds to complications in a love that stands for all that is pure in a horrific time. 

When the pressure from both families became too much and their relatives refused to budge on their alleged morals and principles, Gill and Mehta were given the chance to contemplate which of two roads they should embark on: the one where the two end up together, or the other where they sacrifice their love for their families and never see each other again. To present all those emotions on reel seemed to be quite a task, but the entire cast of Lahoriye, which features other actors like Nimrat Khaira, Yuvraj Hans, Sardar Sohi, Guggu Gill, Rajiv Thakur and many other actors has done a splendid job. Another part of the movie which the audience seemed to relish was the music. 

Sometimes, in blockbuster movies, good music seems to be the only draw that a film has, which eventually attracts people, forces them to sit through the course of the movie, and offers respite only during the songs. In Lahoriye, both the plot as well as the music is top notch. From the deep meaning, the lyrics contain, which cannot be gauged at the surface, to the catchy tunes and rhythmic beats, songs like Akhar, Chunni and Jeeondean Ch gained a lot of appreciation while they played on screen.

All in all, Lahoriye captures the hardships of the partition, the agony of not being able to be with your loved one and the reality of life.

A beautiful film that is a must watch.