Sonal Monteiro all set to make her Punjabi debut

For Sonal Monteiro, the current days are all about learning Punjabi words, watching Punjabi films, and trying to grasp the language. Having made a name for herself in the Tulu film industry after establishing herself in Kannada cinema, and setting foot in Bollywood, Sonal will soon be foraying into the Punjabi film industry.

Confirming the news, the Banaras heroine tells Cinema Express that she is excited about learning a new language, adding she has made full use of the lockdown period for this. She calls it a much-deserved break that she got in her hometown in Mangaluru. Sonal will be travelling to Bengaluru on Wednesday to sign on the dotted line for her Punjabi debut.

“I have always mentioned in my interviews that as an actor, I don’t want to get settled in one language, and want to venture into as many languages as possible,” says the Panchatantra actor.

The Punjabi film in question, presented by Ishmit Singh Academy and Simar Films, will be a period drama. Sonal will be paired opposite popular actor Gurudass Mann, with Rajveer Singh and Avjinder Grewal also in the cast. She adds that when she moved from Tulu to Kannada, she got to learn more. “Now I can take this knowledge to Punjab, where I can get a little more experience and learn a new language,” she says.

The actor, who only has a song sequence left to shoot for Banaras, is eagerly looking forward to the release of her next, Roberrt. The film stars Darshan in the lead role, along with Asha Bhat, and also features Sonal in a pivotal role. She will also be part of Talwar Pete, starring Vasishta Simha in the lead. “The makers of the Punjabi film plan to go on floors in December,” she says.

Meanwhile, the lockdown time has helped Sonal relive her childhood days, “I have been playing police-robber, cards, badminton, lagori — almost all the games that I played in school. This time has helped me spend a lot of time with my family and I got to meet my friends. We are making a lot of noise together,” she laughs.