Pravasi Haryanvis honoured in Gurgaon

The box office success of Haryana-based movies echoed at the

Pravasi Haryana Divas

2017 organised by the Haryana Government with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) on Wednesday. The two-day event was inaugurated by CM Manohar Lal Khattar. The state government conferred the

Gaurav Samman

on 19 Pravasi Haryanvis including Randeep Hooda and Sonu Nigam, for excelling in their respective fields.

Babita Phagat receives the Gaurav Samman from Smriti Irani (photo Ajay Kumar Gautam/BCCL)

Haryana mein humari film kam chalti hain, kyunki yahan theatres kam hain
The ministers and B-Town celebs from Haryana who were attending the sessions of Pravasi Divas appealed to NRIs to invest in the entertainment sector of the state. In his Haryanvi accent, Randeep said, “Humare yahan thoda woh hai, film kam dekhte hain, ab toh phir bhi dekhne lage hain. Mere father ko jab maine bola ki main Australia se Performing Arts ka course karna chahta hoon, toh woh bole, ‘Bhai Performing Arts ki hove hai?’ Aap sab log yahan Pravasi Divas mein aaye ho, meri aap sab se guzarish hai, aao yahan aa kar bhi invest karo. Main apne experience se bol raha hoon ki jo maza apne state, apne gaon ki seva karne mein hai, kisi aur cheez mein nahin hai. Aap film banao, humari film thodi kam chalti hai, kyunki yahan theatres ki kami hai, toh cinema theatres kholo.”

Geeta Phogat and fans clicking selfies with Haryana finance minister Captain Abhimanyu (photo Ajay Kumar Gautam/BCCL)

Selfie mania: Excited fans at the event take selfies with Vijender Singh (photo Ajay Kumar Gautam/BCCL)

We have to create an entertainment industry in Haryana
In his address, Subhash Ghai also asked the NRIs to invest in Haryana’s entertainment sector. He said, “Aaj Randeep Hooda saheb hain, Sunil Dutt saheb thay, woh Bombay ja kar reh gaye, kya yeh Haryana ki zimmedari nahin ki usko badhaye? Now Haryana has woken up, now they have to implement and see how to create an entertainment industry in Haryana, and you can contribute.The biggest box office success in the country is in Haryanvi (Dangal). That means people love this language.”
Steel Minister Birender Singh and Textiles Minister Smriti Irani were also present on the last day.

Mithali Raj, Haryana sports minister Anil Vij and Banarsi Lal Chawla, Kalpana Chawla’s father (L to R)(photo Ajay Kumar Gautam/BCCL)

Mamta Kharab, Subhash Ghai and Sonu Nigam (L to R) (photo Ajay Kumar Gautam/BCCL)

Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and MoS for External Affairs Vijay Kumar Singh (L to R) (photo Ajay Kumar Gautam/BCCL)