PTC Punjabi teams up with Australia for film trilogy

GOA: Indian entertainment giant PTC Punjabi has joined forces with Australian production house Temple to create three Punjabi-language feature films, marking one of the most ambitious regional-language collaborations under the Australia-India Audiovisual Co-Production Treaty. Think of it as Hindi cinema’s cooler cousin making a strategic pit stop in Sydney before conquering the world.

The partnership positions Australia as the launchpad for Punjabi cinema’s global ambitions, with the trilogy set to roll out across India, Australia and New Zealand over the next 18 months. It’s a bold move that transforms the land down under from a mere filming location into a full-blown production powerhouse for Indian regional cinema.

Under the treaty framework, these productions will tap into Australian federal and state film incentives, including grants and rebates that make Hollywood executives weep with envy. The films will utilise local crews, talent, picturesque locations and cutting-edge post-production facilities, essentially giving Punjabi cinema access to Australia’s entire filmmaking toolkit.

Temple will manage the Australian side of things, handling treaty compliance and studio partnerships, whilst PTC Punjabi takes charge of Indian creative development, production and distribution. It’s a neat division of labour that plays to each company’s strengths.

The collaboration brings together three independent producers from PTC Punjabi’s roster, each investing in and steering creative development alongside Temple. Australian theatrical distributor forum will handle releases across Australia and New Zealand, ensuring these films don’t just get made but actually reach audiences.

The timing couldn’t be more telling. Indian-language films, including Punjabi titles, have recently overtaken Australian productions at the local box office, according to industry data. That’s right, Aussie audiences are increasingly choosing Mumbai over Melbourne when it comes to their cinema choices. This shift has caught the attention of Indian producers who now view Australia as both a production base and an international distribution gateway.

“Punjabi cinema is ready for its global leap, and Australia gives us the perfect runway,” said PTC Entertainment Channels CEO Rajiee M. Shinde. “With Temple, this partnership is not just about making films. It’s about making history. Punjabi stories deserve the world, and together with Australia, we’re going to take them there with confidence, scale and pride.”

Temple founder Anupam Sharma, echoed the sentiment, “The Australia-India Co-Production Treaty is a game-changer. Australia will be the engine that takes Punjabi cinema global, with world-class crews, studios, incentives and distribution access. PTC Punjabi has been the guardian of Punjabi culture for decades, and together we will now take Punjabi stories to the world.”

The partnership represents a substantial investment into Australia’s screen sector, particularly in Victoria and New South Wales, channelling Indian capital into Aussie infrastructure and talent. PTC Network operates PTC Punjabi as a leading Punjabi-language entertainment platform globally, bringing considerable clout and audience reach to the table.

The pact was unveiled with appropriate fanfare at the Waves Film Bazaar, the market component of the International Film Festival of India (Iffi) in Goa. It’s a deal that signals a new chapter for regional Indian cinema, one where geographical boundaries matter less and creative ambition matters more.

For Punjabi cinema, it’s not just about crossing borders. It’s about rewriting the map entirely.