Director Gurbir Grewal (right), can be seen giving final instructions to Sangram Singh (left), before shooting a scene for the upcoming Punjabi production, Saadi Wakhri Hai Shaan, in Town of Osoyoos council chambers on Wednesday, May 16. Photo by Mathew White.
In just a few short minutes, Town of Osoyoos council chambers was transformed into a Bollywood movie set with bright lights, cameras and cords and cables galore.
Starring in the scene, filmed last Thursday afternoon, was none other than Mayor Stu Wells, who took time out of his busy schedule for 15 minutes of fame on the big screen.
“I’m going to be the Robin Williams of India,” said Wells with a great laugh before shooting the scene.
The scene at town hall was just one of many shot in Osoyoos over the past two weeks as part of the upcoming Vibgyor Creations Punjabi production, Saadi Wakhri Hai Shaan – which roughly translates to, “We are people who have distinct personalities/pride.”
The film stars Mannu Sandhu, Mandy Dakhar, Sangram Singh, Gurbreed Ratol and is being directed by Gurbir Grewal, who has been a filmmaker for more than 20 years.
The movie centres on a young boxer from India who comes to Canada on the advice of his parents after getting mixed up with the wrong crowd.
Upon arriving in Canada, the man begins working on an organic farm in the Osoyoos area with one of his father’s close friends. Only, as the man continues to work on the farm, he suspects something’s not right and eventually discovers the farm is acting as a front for a major drug operation.
The production has been shooting all over the Okanagan Valley and the Lower Mainland since early May, but Grewal said there’s just something special about shooting in Osoyoos.
“Everywhere else I shoot, you have to pick a location and then you shoot there,” said Grewal. “Here, you just put down the camera and shoot.”
Grewal said while the script demanded his crew shoot in Canada, there were a number of reasons as to why they zoned in on Osoyoos.
For one, he said there are a lot of Indo-Canadian farmers in the area, and two, he said the film is about an organic farm, which obviously can’t be shot in a major metropolitan area.
But first and foremost, he said the striking beauty of this place is just amazing.
“You won’t find this in Toronto or Vancouver or any other place,” said Grewal.
“I’ve been in this business for the last 25 years and this is a very friendly shooting place. You meet people on the street, who smile and wave and it just shows contentment and the way people are happy. I’m feeling sad that we’re leaving tomorrow.”
This is the second Punjabi movie being shot in Osoyoos within the past eight months and it just goes to show what a popular location Canada has become for filmmakers from Asia.
Grewal said Canada has become a prime shooting location for Bollywood and Punjabi films for a number of reasons.
“Whether you’re shooting in a small place like Osoyoos or a big city like Vancouver or Toronto, Canadian authorities are very shooting friendly, they encourage,” said Grewal. “Also, it’s a multicultural country, and slowly, people of other origins, besides Indians, are starting to enjoy Bollywood films, because they’re different from Hollywood.”
“Canada is, again, a multicultural country, so it’s kind of like a mini-India.”
Production on “Saadi Wakhri Hai Shaan” is expected to wrap around the end of May and the film is scheduled to hit the theatres around the world sometime in August or September.
Wells said while economically it’s great to have film crews working in Osoyoos for obvious reasons, it also brings a vibrant feeling to the town that’s not otherwise felt.
Jon Summerland, Okanagan film commissioner, echoed Wells’ thoughts and said having movies shot in the Okanagan is a great way to show off this part of the world.
“Having international films shot in the Okanagan will do wonders for showing how beautiful this region is to parts of the world that may not have seen the Okanagan before,” said Summerland. “This has the potential to create not only more films and television shows coming to shoot here, but also an influx of tourism and possible business opportunities.”
Since 1990, the Okanagan Film Commission has been involved with such productions as Flicka 3, No Tell Motel, Pressed, The Big Year, Gunless and Tora. Summerland said Saadi Wakhri Hai Shaan is just one of many films slated to shoot in the Okanagan area this year.
