By - Nivedita
It appears that the Sikh community has lately become very conscious about the projection of their appearance in the media. The recent case of Manpreet Singh, a connoisseur of as many as 15 soap operas on television could be quoted as a potent example. Accentuating his stand as a true Sikh, he said that he would rather lose a good role in a small screen drama or a film rather than reconcile with his Sikh beliefs.

Manpreet, a 25 year old Sikh gentleman is a resident of Chembur and has acted as a Sikh in all his roles on small and big screen. Several roles, which stipulated him to shave off his beard or cut his long ‘kesh” have been turned down by him. He regards these as the symbols of his religious conviction and they are sacrosanct for him.

Manpreet made his debut about four and a half years ago in two episodes of ‘Mehndi Tere Naam Ki’. Thereafter, he has played the role of a Sikh in many other television serials namely ‘Des Mein Nikla Hoga Chand’, ‘Kya Hadsa Kya Haqeeqat’, ‘Yeh Meri Life Hai’ , ‘Haqeqat’, ‘Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi’, ‘Aprajita(Gujarati)’, ‘Rabba Ishq Na Hoye’, ‘Dekho Magar Pyar Se’ and ‘Siddhanth’.

Manpreet has also acted in many advertisements and movies, again in the character of a Sikh. Being a true follower of the ‘Guru’, he has even declined to wear his hair in a pony tail after removing his ‘dastaar’. He has time and again defended his Sikh identity by repudiating to wear a hat over his turban while shooting for a television serial.

Manpreet validates his stand by stating that “The Sikh religion does not permit the turban to be covered and that it is a symbol of our trust in ‘Waheguru’ ”. Manpreet dropped out of an Electronics engineering course from Khalsa College to pursue his career in acting. However, he has not compromised with his holy sentiments to climb the steps of triumph.

This upcoming Sikh star cannot understand why a ‘Sardar ji’ is never in a lead role in any movie. Why is he always projected as a bewildered simpleton providing comic respite or a volatile human being ready for a sudden brawl?

When community accepts the Sikhs with all their religious symbols of the five “K’s” why not the television and film fraternity? Our society has many Sikhs who occupy top positions in our country. According to him it is insensitive to always project a Sikh as a hilarious character to be laughed at? It is distasteful and unbecoming.

Manpreet appeals to the young Sikh actors to take pride in Sikhism and not compromise their very being at any cost. He again goes deeper and compelling in his argument by saying that he would not accept any role that mars the Sikh image.