DR. HARCHARAN SINGH, was a popular playwright, formerly the Head of Punjabi Deptt., Punjabi University, Patiala. He was also Ex-Chairman of Punjab Arts Council. Since 1937 he had devoted 65 years of his life in the promotion of Punjabi Theatre and Drama. He wrote his first play Kamla Kumari in 1937, which was staged at Amritsar on January 21st and 22nd in 1938. The same play was produced and directed by him in his village Urapar, (Distt. Jalandhar) with the cast of teenage schoolboys, in August 1938. He himself performed the main role in that play.
I wish to have a pen in my hand when I take my last breaths,
so that I can depart this world while writing something for Punjabi Theatre…
Dr. Harcharan Singh
He established Punjab Art Theatre at Lahore in 1939 and popularized theatrical activities in Punjab. He initiated a trend in Punjabi theatre with his wife Dharam Kaur who dared to act female role in his play Anjore, staged at YMCA Hall Lahore in 1942. Thus she paved the way for women on Punjabi stage. Harcharan Singh authored of 52 books in Punjabi-26 of them are full-length plays.
HARBUX SINGH LATTA followed his father, Dr. Harcharan Singh’s footsteps and also dedicated his life for Punjabi art & culture. He was honored with Shiromani Nirmata award in 1992 for work in Punjabi Language and culture. With schooling from University of Western Ontario, Canada and University of New York, Latta has pioneered many concepts in video and TV industry, like first documentary on Punjabi writer Prof. Sant Singh Sekhon BABA BOHAR, first private Telefilm for Doordarshan TERA GHAR SO MERA GHAR in 1987, First TV serial on Travels of Guru Nanak EKAS KE HUM BARIK for National TV in 1990, first video film in India LEARN BHANGRA IN 7 DAYS, first Punjabi music video of SURJIT BINDRAKHIA in 1992, founder of Sight & Sound show on Sikh history BOLE SO NIHAL in 1999, First Digital Feature Film in Punjabi BABAL DA VEHRA in 2007.
HARSHVIR SINGH LATTA, third generation dedicated to this field is also following the road on which his grandfather and father, Dr Harcharan Singh & Harbux Singh Latta respectively, had travelled. With a degree in Film Production from New York, he is the back bone of the technical & creative team.