Punjab ’s media and entertainment landscape is a global powerhouse, characterized by a dominant independent music scene and a rapidly growing film industry, affectionately known as Pollywood. Driven by a massive international diaspora and digital innovation, the region's content has moved from "tractors to blockbusters," reaching major global platforms like Netflix and Coachella. The Film Industry (Pollywood)
The Punjabi film industry is currently the 5th largest in India, contributing significantly to the national box office.
Commercial Scale: The industry produces 60–80 films annually. In 2023-24 alone, domestic revenue reached approximately ₹235 Cr, with nearly 50% of total revenue generated from overseas markets like Canada, Australia, and the UK.
Major Milestones: Carry On Jatta 3 (2023) became the first Punjabi film to cross the ₹100 crore worldwide collection mark.
Key Hubs & Studios: Production is centered in Amritsar, Ludhiana, and Mohali. Major distributors and studios include Omjee Group, White Hill Studios, and Zee Studios, which is a leading corporate producer.
Content Trends: While romantic comedies account for over 70% of releases, there is a growing trend toward serious dramas (e.g., Ardaas Karaan) and films addressing societal issues like drug abuse. Music: A Global Leader
Punjabi music is a dominant force in the independent music sector, holding the largest market share in India with over 400 registered labels. Global Recognition: In 2023, Diljit Dosanjh
became the first Indian artist to perform at Coachella, and he later appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
Streaming Power: In 2022, four of the top 10 most-streamed songs in India were Punjabi. Top Artists : Modern Superstars: Sidhu Moose Wala (global records for live audiences), Karan Aujla , AP Dhillon , and Guru Randhawa . Respected Legends: Gurdas Maan , Satinder Sartaaj , and Babbu Maan . Popular Media & Digital Consumption punjab india xxx puran link
Digital platforms have revolutionized how Punjabi content is consumed, especially in rural areas.
Digital Platforms: The Chaupal OTT platform hosts over 500 hours of exclusive Punjabi content.
Social Media & YouTube: Major news and entertainment hubs on YouTube include Jagbani, Prime Asia, and TV Punjab. Music trailers from White Hill Music frequently average over 10 million views per hit. Traditional Folklore
: Content often draws from traditional folklore (e.g., Heer Ranjha) and Sufi poetry from legends like Bulleh Shah and Waris Shah . Immersive Cultural Experiences
For those looking to experience Punjab’s entertainment culture firsthand, several venues offer immersive traditional activities: Sadda Pind Amritsar 4.3 (16.2K) Tourist attraction OpenAmritsar, Punjab, India
A recreated traditional village featuring live Bhangra and Gidda performances, camel rides, and authentic cuisine. Heart of Punjab Village Tours 5.0 (161) Sightseeing tour agency OpenAmritsar, Khur Manian, Punjab, India
Offers hands-on experiences like tractor rides, turban tying, and Gatka (Sikh martial art) demonstrations. Sri Harmandir Sahib 4.9 (204.6K) Gurudwara OpenAmritsar, Amritsar Cantt., Punjab, India
Visitors can witness the sacred Palki Sahib ceremony accompanied by live Gurbani chanting. Show more Expand map Media Hubs Cultural Experiences Sadda Pind Authentic Punjabi Village Tour Punjab ’s media and entertainment landscape is a
Title: The Last Kissa of Airwaves
Logline: In a cutthroat world of 15-second reels and auto-tuned pop, a fading radio jockey and a militant feminist folk singer team up to save the dying art of Puran storytelling by hijacking Punjab’s biggest reality TV show.
Amritsar, 2026.
Gurpreet “Gippy” Singh Sandhu, 52, was once the voice of the night. His All India Radio show, Puran Sandesh (The Message of the Ancients), told the kissas—the epic tales of Raja Rasalu, the tragic romance of Mirza-Sahiban, and the moral parables of Guru Gobind Singh. Now, his audience is two night watchmen and his own echo.
Across town, 24-year-old Nimrat Kaur Dhillon is the queen of “Folk-Punk Fury.” Her viral video, “Sadda Patola (Not For Sale),” a takedown of dowry culture, has 50 million views. But her record label, LionHeart Records, wants her to ditch the tumbi and sing about "diamond chains and whiskey stains." When she refuses, they shelve her album.
Desperate, Nimrat’s manager sneaks her onto Gippy’s dying midnight show for an unfiltered rant. At first, Gippy scoffs. “This is Puran entertainment, child. We teach Sanskar (values), not rebellion.”
Nimrat snaps, “Your Sanskar let uncles decide which girl gets a voice. My rebellion is the new Puran.”
She goes live, ripping her auto-tune mic out of her jacket, and sings an a cappella ballad about a village girl who becomes a Sikligar (sword polisher) warrior. The phone lines—dead for years—suddenly light up. Title: The Last Kissa of Airwaves Logline: In
To understand the economic viability, look at the streaming war in Punjab. Mainstream platforms (YouTube Shorts, Instagram) favour vertical, 15-second, high-volume pop content. But Chaupal TV, a niche OTT, grew its subscriber base by 300% in 2023 by exclusively commissioning Puran content.
Their strategy:
The lesson? The Puran audience is willing to pay. Unlike the ad-blocked YouTube pop listener, the subscriber of Puran content seeks depth, length, and silence from gimmickry.
Punjab has always been a land of orators—from the kissa-kaars (storytellers) of old to the political loudspeakers of today. The podcast boom has revived the "Puran" oral tradition.
Shows like The Punjab Podcast (by Harjap) and Gur Prasad Kaur's Folklore routinely top the charts. These are not the glib talk shows of Mumbai. These are 3-hour long, deeply researched discussions on:
Unlike popular media in other Indian states, which often leans tabloid, Punjabi Puran podcasts treat the listener like a scholar.
Bollywood has often attempted to capture Puran Punjab, with mixed results. While films like Mitti Da Bawa (early cinema) and Chann Pardesi (1980s) depicted authentic rural life, mainstream Bollywood reduced Punjab to Satrangi Re scarves and mustard fields. It wasn't until directors like Anurag Singh (Jatt & Juliet) and Smeep Kang that the real texture of Punjabi humor and family politics entered the mainstream.
Punjab is currently navigating a turbulent identity crisis. The rise of drug abuse, rural migration, and the fading memory of the 1980s insurgency has created a vacuum. Many social commentators argue that the aggressive dominance of Westernized pop media (specifically gangster rap glorifying violence) has eroded the soft power of Puran values.
In response, the government of Punjab, through the PSPCL and Punjabi University, has launched the "Virsa app" — a digital library of 10,000+ folk songs, oral histories, and puran dramas performed by the late greats like Gurdas Maan (in his early, folk-centric career). Schools are now mandated to dedicate one period a week to Lok Virasat (folk heritage) using animated Puran content created by the Punjab Arts Council.