Music is at the centre of JioHotstar’s recently released series Kanneda, which tells the story of Nimma (Parmish Verma), a Punjabi immigrant who gets sucked into the world of crime in Canada. For Nimma, singing rap on the beats developed by his friend Daljeet (Aadar Malik) proves to be an escape from the prejudice he faces on the streets. Understanding the musical side of Nimma was not difficult for Parmish, who is a singer in real life. “My background is in acting but the Punjabi music industry gave me an opportunity to express myself,” he says, adding that the music album of Kanneda gives a parallel summary of the story. “The songs have certain details of the character that the show doesn’t portray; the lyrics talk about the unsaid as well,” says the actor-singer.For Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, who plays a resolute cop in the show, music is a means to get into a specific zone; he has different playlists for different characters he plays. “Music helps me concentrate, especially during breaks in a shoot. And the choice of music varies for each character,” he says, adding that a lot of these choices may not make sense to others. It could be anything which triggers something in him as a person, which he then uses to make sense of the character. “If I am playing a Punjabi rockstar, people may think that I will be listening to Punjabi rap songs to get into the zone. But I might be listening to Polish folk music or metal flute to find my rhythm,” says the actor. Zeeshan got involved in the show quite organically. He had heard the basic idea of the story and was interested to know more. More importantly, the actor was excited to collaborate with director Chandan Arora and cinematographer Rajeev Ravi, known for filming Dev D (2009), Gangs of Wasseypur (2012), and Udta Punjab (2016), among others. Zeeshan feels it is important for him to know the people he is working with. “I believe it helps to spend some time with a person before working with them,” he says. “There is no guarantee that the show or film you are making will do well, so it is important that the time spent shooting it is worthwhile.”Zeeshan’s character investigates the drug business in which Nimma gets involved. His descent into crime is contextualised with a brief glimpse into his traumatic past. The show delves into tracing Nimma’s journey from escaping the 1984 anti-Sikh riots to navigating the harsh realities of being an immigrant in Canada. Parmish deeply connected with Nimma’s pain, as his own family had suffered during the tragedy. “I know how that trauma impacts people’s lives and how it snatches away your sense of self,” he shares. However, stepping into Nimma’s criminal side proved more challenging. To grasp that aspect of the character, Parmish built an entire world in his mind, imagining different scenarios to understand his choices. “I think that’s what fascinated me into becoming an actor; I get to live another life without having to face any repercussions for my on-screen actions,” says Parmish.Living the immigrant life is a recurring theme in the show, highlighting how the people of Punjab have carved out a new identity in a foreign land, making it their own—an idea reflected in the show’s title. Parmish says that a lot of his relatives and friends have gone to Canada in search of better opportunities. “Canada and Punjab are local,” he jokes. Jasmin Bajwa, who plays the female lead in Kanneda, feels that along with opportunities, people are willing to learn and bring that experience back home. Jasmin, known for acting in Punjabi films and Bollywood films like Soorma (2018) and Manmarziyaan (2018), feels that actors like her want to do the same. “People often ask us why we are working in Bollywood. It’s not that we don’t have work in Punjabi films, but in Bollywood, we are getting the kind of opportunities we are not getting back there. And we will take this learning back home,” she says. The actor feels that their show blends Punjabi music and rap quite well with the narrative. “It enhances the relatability with the characters for anyone watching,” says the actor.Reflecting on her love for Punjabi music, Jasmin says that it has a fearless quality which reciprocates well with the audience. “Not that I am biased, but I feel Punjabi rap is more confrontational in its tone. Even the lyrics have a sense of simplicity which anyone can identify with,” she says. However, Punjabi rap songs have also been criticised for normalising violence and the use of alcohol and drugs. What are their thoughts on it? Jasmin is quick to respond, “You will be criticised for anything you do. And every song cannot speak about everything.” Parmish adds in conclusion, “You are singing to have a good time. If alcohol didn’t exist, there wouldn’t be songs about alcohol.”
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