How Sara Ali Khan’s Punjabi in ‘Zara Hatke Zara Bachke’ is an Embarrassing Attempt to Get Some Cringe Laughs!

Zara Hatke Zara Bachke: Sara Ali Khan's punjabi upsets real Punjabis and it deserves a discussion of its own!

The release of the movie ‘Zara Hatke Zara Bachke’ featuring Vicky Kaushal and Sara Ali Khan sparked a fresh wave of discussion among Punjabis and movie enthusiasts alike. In the film, Sara plays the character of Somya, a Punjabi girl who marries Vicky (Kapil), a Hindu boy. To really establish her background and upbringing as a next-door Punjabi girl, she has been given a few Punjabi dialogues – or shall we say the most cliche Punjabi words thrown here and there in a Hindi dialogue! Her Punjabi insertions in Hindi dialogues not just sound unfriendly but also adds cringe to scenes.

Now, if the writers wanted to so strongly show the cultural diversity in the state of Madhya Pradesh with a Punjabi family living in Gwalior/ Indore, a little work on the accent or the dialect would have worked wonders. A Punjabi bahu in ‘Panditon ka mohalla‘ had to be established via ‘assi-tussi’ and nothing beyond. How fair is that on the audience!

The Punjabis and even those who don’t speak the language, are definitely upset with ‘Zara Hatke Zara Bachke’. Many questioned why Sara had to speak in Punjabi when her Hindi could have sufficed. Bollywood has a way of dealing with Punjabis and showcasing them in mainstream movies. Most of it is done to add loud humour or to encourage stereotyping a community that is beyond ‘balle-balle’ and ‘burrah’. Sara often shifts from her regular Hindi to weird Punjabi in many scenes, especially in those when she’s arguing with Vicky’s Kapil about buying a separate house in the city. Whatever happened to celebrating the language in a film and not mocking it!

The Punjabi accent of #SaraAliKhan is unbearable. Ears start bleeding when you hear only ‘Assi’ ‘Tussi’ only in sentences.

I am a Punjabi, and I don’t like it#ZaraHatkeZaraBachkeReview #ZaraHatkeZaraBachke

— Kritika vaid (@KritikaVaid91) June 2, 2023

Wow, #SaraAliKhan speaks Punjabi in #ZaraHatkeZaraBachke and I just wanna say – pic.twitter.com/2mYH1cx3um

— Tanya Garg (@TanyaGarg28) June 2, 2023

This discussion is an extension of what we saw in Aamir Khan’s ‘Laal Singh Chaddha’. The actor also faced criticism for his Punjabi accent which didn’t really sound like good or acceptable Punjabi. A few months ago, Punjabi actor Sargun Mehta weighed in on the matter, acknowledging Aamir Khan’s efforts but suggesting that he could have done better. She emphasized that while actors are expected to take on versatile roles, it requires substantial dedication and hard work to convincingly portray a character from a different cultural background.

WHEN SARGUN MEHTA SPOKE ON ‘FAKE PUNJABI ACCENT IN BOLLYWOOD FILMS’

Sargun told india.com during the promotion of Sohreyan Da Pind Aa Gaya: “Aamir sir is not a Punjabi and he has taken up a role. Actors are supposed to take versatile roles. I can say that he could have done a bit better but jitna bhi unhone kia hain bahut calm and mehnat lagti hain sirf utna karne mein bhi. (Whatever he has done in the film, it takes a lot to get the results. He has been calm and has worked really hard).” (Watch Sargun Mehta’s interview here)

The debate surrounding the Punjabi accent in Bollywood films raises important questions about cultural representation and authenticity in the entertainment industry. Should actors only portray characters from their own cultural backgrounds, or can they effectively embody characters from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds? Is it sufficient for actors to merely mimic accents, or should they strive for a deeper understanding of the culture they are representing?

Ultimately, the usage of Punjabi accents in Bollywood films should aim for authenticity, respect, and a genuine appreciation for the language and culture. It is an opportunity for filmmakers and actors to bridge cultural gaps, not mock them or discard them altogether!

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