Sardar Jarnail Singh: Weaving Stories, Creating Cinema, writes Disney Brar

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An actor, filmmaker, poet and storyteller, Singh finds art in everyday life and inspiration in the wisdom of the heart.

Chandigarh: Acclaimed Punjabi actor, director and producer Sardar Jarnail Singh has carved a niche for himself in Punjabi cinema, with a career spanning 29 films and counting. Known for his roles in films such as Jatt & Juliet 2 and Disco Singh, both romantic comedies, Punjabian Da King, an action-comedy, Arjan, a family drama, and the biographical sports drama Harjeeta, Singh has also been associated with films such as Maurh, a Punjabi period action drama, as well as Ardaas and Chardikala. His production credits include films such as Toofan Singh, Jodi and Any How Mitti Pao.

Beyond cinema, Singh has built a strong connection with audiences through Sayane Kehnde Ne, a popular Punjabi poetry and motivational book series penned by him. Published by Chetna Prakashan, the books became so popular that Singh eventually adapted his written notes into a live spoken-word and musical storytelling show. Blending rhythmic poetry with traditional musical arrangements, the performances explore Punjabi wisdom, life lessons, social observations, family relationships and cultural heritage. The show has also travelled internationally, including to Canada and the UK, connecting audiences across generations through the timeless appeal of Punjabi thought and expression.

Speaking to The North News, Singh recalls that his entry into cinema was nothing short of serendipitous.

“My entry into cinema and this creative life came when, one day, I was enjoying myself with my village friends in my village Chappar after missing school and my Science exam. A few filmwallahs, wearing their signature hats, were touring my village when they spotted me and asked me to act in their film. I did so, and there was no looking back,” he says.

The film was Train to Pakistan, based on Khushwant Singh’s celebrated novel. Singh appeared among the crowds of people migrating in the film. What began as a small role gradually opened doors to bigger opportunities, eventually drawing him deeper into Punjabi cinema. Before long, lights, camera and action had become his destiny.

Recalling his early days in the industry with characteristic humour, Singh says, “Initially, I was used as a ‘stand-in’ in Punjabi cinema. Whenever someone failed to turn up on the sets, missed a shot for some reason or the producers were unable to get an actor’s dates, they would ask me to play the part. That is how I started getting roles.”

Those early opportunities, often arising out of last-minute arrangements, became stepping stones in a career that would eventually see him take on several roles behind and in front of the camera.

Singh’s transition into line production, however, was inspired by an unexpected encounter on the sets of a Bollywood blockbuster.

“I was shooting for a song sequence for the Bollywood hit Singh Is Kinng in Punjab when, in 2007, I first saw broccoli. I was fascinated by the green gobi,” he recalls.

The shoot was underway, and it was lunchtime. On the sets, different segments of the crew had separate tables. Singh noticed a cook marinating broccoli in fresh cream and threading it onto skewers for roasting. Tempted by the unfamiliar delicacy, he picked up two skewers and placed them on his steel plate.

“When the cook saw it, he immediately grabbed the plate from my hands, threw it into the dustbin and told me that I was earning Rs 1,500 a day, while the same crew coming from Mumbai was earning Rs 3,000. The table I had picked the broccoli from was reserved for the film’s hero, Akshay Kumar,” Singh recounts.

What happened next left a lasting impression on him.

“Then a man like me simply came along, picked up a whole plate of those skewers, sat at Akshay Kumar’s table and started eating. When I asked the cook how he was allowed to take food from the hero’s table, he told me that the man was the line producer and called the actual shots on the sets. Not even Akshay Kumar could shoot without his permission. That was when I decided to become a line producer myself.”

The incident offered Singh a glimpse into the crucial role line producers play in filmmaking. It was a lesson in the importance of organisation, responsibility and decision-making behind the camera, one that would shape the next phase of his professional journey.

For Singh, however, the essence of creativity extends far beyond cinema and the performing arts. Ask him what it means to be an artist, and his answer reflects a deeply inclusive understanding of the word.

“Everyone who can do something extraordinarily well is an artist. Be it a cycle puncture repairman, a painter or a welder, in my eyes, anyone who has mastered a skill is a true artist,” he says.

This philosophy also finds expression in Sayane Kehnde Ne, which brings together Singh’s love for writing, poetry, music and the wisdom of everyday life.

“ My performances focus on sharing traditional Punjabi wisdom, life lessons, social observations, and reflections on family relationships and heritage. I release studio versions of these rhythmic poetry tracks and recordings of stage performances under my production banner, Virasat Films. People can find them on social platforms such as TikTok and on the official Virasat Films Facebook page,” Singh says.

Asked what inspires him to channel such timeless philosophical insights and pearls of wisdom into his writing and performances, Singh offers a simple yet revealing answer.

“I read and write a lot, and most of these pieces come directly from my heart and soul,” he says.

There is little doubt that this sincerity lies at the heart of his work. Whether he is acting, producing films, sharing poetry on stage or reflecting on the lessons life has taught him, Sardar Jarnail Singh continues to weave stories that celebrate not only cinema, but also the richness of Punjabi culture, the power of human connection and the wisdom embedded in everyday life.