Carry On Jatta 3 Gippy Grewal reveals reason behind his Bollywood hiatus

With the release of Carry On Jatta 3 drawing close, promotions for the film are in full swing. In an interview with Republic Digital's Mugdha Kapoor, Gippy Grewal, who is headlining the project with Sonam Bajwa, hinted at possible crossovers between the Punjabi film industry and cinema from other parts of the country. 

3 things you need to know

• Carry On Jatta 3 is scheduled to hit theatres on June 29.
• Gippy Grewal and Sonam Bajwa previously shared screen space in Carry On Jatta 2.
• Carry On Jatta 2 holds the record for the highest-grossing Punjabi film from India.

Gippy Grewal says 'there is no stress' to deliver a blockbuster

The Carry on Jatta film franchise has seen enormous success. The first installment was extremely well-received, while the second installment went on to become the highest-grossing Punjabi film from India. Actor Gippy Grewal was asked if he felt any pressure of living up to the legacy of the previous two films.

 "No, there is no stress as such," the actor states. "It depends from film to film. Carry on Jatta has a happy mood to it and that is how we are. We have full energy."

(YouTube screengrab of Carry On Jatta 3 trailer | Image: YouTube)

However, Grewal notes that one has to be “mindful while picking scripts so that the final product is good." Clearly, this strategy has worked out well since the actor goes on to express how happy and excited everyone is about the film. "The film has come out really well, this is going to be the best of the lot," Gippy says enthusiastically.

Gippy Grewal speaks about pan-India approach to Carry On Jatta 3

During the interaction, Gippy was asked about the decision to release the film's trailer in Mumbai, a first for a Punjabi film. The actor said that this was because “Mumbai is the main hub of cinema.” He observed that if something film-related was in the news in Mumbai, it would automatically become news everywhere else where films were loved.

On being questioned about his intention to approach Carry On Jatta 3 like a pan-India film, Grewal opined that “wanting more reach for a film is the same as that”. The actor also added, “We want our film to reach everywhere, and we are doing it. We are releasing this film in a big way.” 

(YouTube screengrab of Carry On Jatta 3 trailer | Image: YouTube)

He supports his assertion by saying that “it's a big deal” for a Punjabi film to be released in 30-35 countries. “Punjabi films do not get released in this many countries, unless it's a really big star's film or a Bollywood film," quips the actor. 

Gippy Grewal, when asked whether the Punjabi film industry was headed towards more pan-India releases, said, “100%, absolutely”. With his remarks, the actor seemed to suggest that he would be open to crossover films. On being asked, Gippy says, “Yes of course.” He further confirms his openness to collaborative efforts, saying, “We would not have any issues with it, we would definitely want something of the sort to materialise. We are open to the idea.”

(Gippy Grewal and Sonam Bajwa at Carry on Jatta 3 Promotional event | Image: Sonam Bajwa/Instagram) 

Gippy Grewal gets candid about his Hindi film hiatus

It must be noted that Gippy Grewal made his Bollywood debut in 2015 with Second Hand Husband, and was next seen in Lucknow Central in 2017. However, after this, stuck to doing only Punjabi films. Thus, it naturally brought up the question whether the actor had made a conscious decision to not sign or be part of a Hindi film. 

Grewal responds thoughtfully to the question, saying, “I always say, every film has a journey. That film (Second Hand Husband m) did not work. I did another film after that (Lucknow Central), and the team chosen for the film was great. But that too did not work.” 

The actor goes on to explain how box office numbers not doing well make people “naturally assume” that one “can't do the job”. “Practically speaking, this does happen,” says Grewal. The actor says that it was after this that he decided he would only do a Hindi film when he really liked it, adding, “I am a big star for my Punjabi audience, they love me a lot and they are the ones who have got me here.” 

(YouTube screengrab of Carry On Jatta 3 trailer | Image: YouTube)

Here, Grewal makes another important point about his Punjabi audience’s reception of him doing Hindi cinema. “Say I were to do a small role in a Hindi film and they happen to not like it?” He divulges that though he got some projects, he kept going back and forth with them a lot. “There was a web series I really liked… It had 3-4 scenes which I did not want to do. I told them my Punjabi audience will not appreciate seeing me in scenes like this.” 

The actor details how the makers insisted on the requirement of these scenes. “The thing is, they feel if we include segments like kissing scenes, they add a different kind of value. I kept asking them to explain the relevance of the scenes in terms of the story. They insisted on having the scenes just for the sake of it,” rues the actor. 

(A file photo of Gippy Grewal | Image: Twitter)

Consequently, Grewal did not take up the project though “everything else was confirmed”. He says that this insistence on doing seemingly unnecessary scenes is the reason why there are a lot of films and projects that he hasn't gone ahead with. “And we are right in our place,” concludes the actor. 

Carry On Jatta 3, the latest installment in the highly successful franchise, features Gippy Grewal, Sonam Bajwa, Binnu Dhillon, Jaswinder Bhalla, and Gurpreet Ghuggi, among others. Fans anticipate the film's theatrical release on June 29.