In an industry long dominated by familiar faces and formula-driven narratives, a new generation of Punjabi actors is quietly reshaping storytelling. Among them is Arvinnder Kaur, who brings with her a mix of theatre grounding and a conscious choice of unconventional roles.
Excerpts from a conversation with the actress who started out with the critically acclaimed series, Shahi Majra and film Raavi De Kande among others. How did you land as an actor?It started when I auditioned for Miss Punjab in 2016, while in school. During the audition, someone asked me if I was an actor. Like most kids, I didn’t have the confidence to say it out loud that I secretly desired to be an actor. But that moment woke me up into my realisation.
I joined Punjabi University, Patiala for a degree in film direction and started doing theatre alongside. A director spotted me during one of my theatre performances and it led to my first project, Shahi Majra.Your early projects weren’t typical commercial Punjabi films. Was that conscious? Do you think Punjabi cinema is ready for such subjects?Not planned, but it turned out that way. After Shahi Majra, I did Rode College, which again was not your usual comedy or romance. It was a youth-centric story with a strong socio-political backdrop. I think the audience is evolving, courtesy the global content on OTT platforms.
The industry is also slowly opening to new ideas. It’s about choosing better subjects and improving with time.
Arvinnder Kaur, Punjabi actress from webseries Shahi Majra and films like Raave De Kande
Tell us about your upcoming films.I have two projects, Asi Baaghi Change opposite Babbu Maan, and Ishqnama with Shehnaaz Gill and Jayy Randhawa, which is a romantic drama—a love triangle. While Baaghi is a different genre for Punjabi, set in the 1990s and revolves around lottery scams of Punjab. Interestingly, I’m not playing a Punjabi girl, instead my character is Marathi and it’s a Bombay-based story.
It excites me because as actors from the new generation, we don’t want to be boxed into one identity.
We want to experiment.
The Punjabi film industry has often been criticised for repeating the same set of actors. Do you see that changing?Yes, there has been a pattern. But now, with audiences demanding freshness, filmmakers are casting new faces. However, acceptance for newcomers is a challenge, though marketing can change that. For instance, see how newcomers in a film like Saiyaara (2025) found acceptance, it’s all thanks to the hype generated around the film months in advance. But with changing audience preferences and platforms, there’s space opening.
It’s not easy, but it’s possible now. I think this is the time for experimentation, and I’m glad to be entering the industry at a phase where change is already underway.
