Jaggi Singh: The Dark Horse of Punjabi Cinema is now shooting his debut Hollywood short film

His menacing look, sharp acting and chic styling have made him the ideal pick for a character with multiple shades of grey. After making his mark in the Punjabi cinema with films like Mirza and Faraar, actor Jaggi Singh is all set to star in his debut Hollywood project. Currently shooting in New York, this Punjabi who has his roots in Jagraon and moved to America at a young age to pursue his studies from the Washington University, talks about his Hollywood film, and Punjabi cinema.
“I am currently working on a Hollywood short film called Personalities being directed by Tony Doupe of Tripod Productions,” tells Singh adding how Doupe called him post Faraar to audition for this film. Doupe is an established short film director who has worked with Angelina Jolie too in the past. “I’ve always wanted to work with Tony. After watching my work in Faraar, he gave me a call and told me he loved watching my in it and was looking for a similar character for his short film. In a way, Faraar opened new doors for me,” says Singh.
Personalities is based on four characters and four stories. “It is focused on human personalities. It explores various facets of life, human behavior, the decisions we take, our needs, how we shape our lives, etc. My character showcases how someone has everything in life but yet he is not satisfied with anything. People suffering from a low phase depression and anger due to the quality of life they are living will relate to it,” says Singh. The film is expected to release this November and will do the film festival circuit including Sundance Film Festival in January 2017.
Needless to say, acting is his passion, one that he has been pursing and learning since high school. Singh has also taken acting classes from David Hogan and Angela Dimarco of the New York Film Academy. “To me acting is not about just an appearance on screen, saying a few dialogues, delivering a bit of action and walking away. Acting is a personal expression and I want that the audience to feel what my character is going through and presenting,” shares Singh.
He agrees to the irresistible charm international cinema holds, but Punjab is where his heart is too.
Meanwhile, he has been approached for Punjabi films and will be working on something later this year. “I have always wanted to give Punjabi cinema a variety of characters. I am impressed with the new subjects that are being made. Now, filmmakers here have started to select quality of work and not quantity,” says Singh.