Why this gritty Punjabi crime film is suddenly everywhere

When love, friendship and crime collide in a Punjab you didn’t see coming

In Punjabi crime cinema, few stories feel as raw as Gangland: The City of Crime. Directed and written by Savio Sandhu, the film unspools the tragic fallout between two best friends, Sultan and Hakam. What begins as a bold robbery in a sleepy village in 1986 escalates into decades of revenge, forging new gangs and unleashing violence across Punjab’s underbelly.

What makes it clickable is this. It mirrors the gritty realism of classics like Gangs of Wasseypur and whispers of real-life Punjabi gang wars. Critics are calling it a landmark moment for Punjabi cinema, with scenes that grip you by the throat and performances that refuse to let go, especially by Vadda Grewal and Hobby Dhaliwal.

Hidden truths behind the film: More than chest thumping action

What’s not widely reported is how the movie draws from buried whispers about real Punjab gangs, shaped by ethnic tension, rural politics and rapid industrial change in the 1980s. Sandhu shot many sequences in real villages and vintage estates, recruiting locals as extras to give the drama uncanny grounding. Some scenes feel like an undercover documentary rather than a scripted film.

Online forums have exploded with speculation about exact locations and real-life inspirations. Reddit threads have dissected stills from the trailer, comparing landmarks with real villages. Fans are hunting clues about which gangster stories were quietly woven into the script.

Indian connection: It’s Punjabi at heart, global in muscle

Yes, it’s in Punjabi. But the themes are universal. Loyalty snuffed out by greed. Friendships shattered by ambition. And the way violence seduces the young before spitting them out. Indian urban audiences are seeing echoes in their own backyards. From Delhi to Nagpur, recent news of gang violence, bookie wars and political enforcers have made this film feel like a warning, not just a story.

Some viewers say it reminds them of local headlines. One journalist noted similarities with gang conflicts in western Maharashtra, where underworld politics are hidden behind real estate deals. The characters in Gangland might speak Punjabi, but their pain speaks across languages.

Public reaction: fierce engagement and controversy

Social media in Punjab lit up after the trailer dropped in mid-April. Some praised the unapologetic storytelling. Others criticized the graphic depiction of violence. Yet most agree it’s bold in a way few Punjabi films dare. One viewer wrote, “Feels like my own village on screen, but drenched in blood.” That emotional reaction, intense and local, makes Gangland impossible to scroll past.

It’s the kind of film people either love or argue about. And those arguments are exactly what’s pushing it up the trending charts. Influencers are reacting with emotional breakdowns. Youth pages are sharing fan edits. It’s viral, but not cheap. It’s loud, but not empty. That’s rare.

Why it’s trending now: timing is everything

Released on 25 April 2025 in theaters across India, it dropped just as Punjabi cinema is shifting. The industry is moving from clean family dramas to dark, complex adult storytelling. Audiences are ready for grit. Streaming platforms are searching for real. Even Bollywood is watching Punjab right now.

At the same time, rising coverage of real-life gang violence in Indian cities has only amplified the film’s impact. Timing couldn’t be better. The streets are angry and this movie channels that unrest without sugarcoating it.

What you can expect: key emotional pulses

  • Friendship turned vicious: Sultan and Hakam’s split is heartbreaking. One wanted out. The other wanted power.
  • The ripple of betrayal: What starts as a single crime grows into an all-out war that spans generations.
  • Reality tinged settings: Raw Punjabi landscapes, old farms, hidden dens. You feel the dust, the silence, the desperation.

How Indian audiences are watching it

Mobile viewers across Punjab and Delhi are filling theatres and trending hashtags like #GanglandCrimePunjab. Reports say rural multiplexes are running packed late-night shows. Youth groups are trading theories in local dialects. Some viewers are convinced the movie contains secret nods to real unsolved crimes.

Meanwhile, YouTube trailers are drawing thousands of comments in Punjabi. Most are praising the scale and authenticity. “Finally, a Punjabi movie that doesn’t treat us like kids,” wrote one viewer.

In short: why you can’t swipe past this

Gangland: The City of Crime isn’t just another action flick. It is a gritty portrait of how crime fractures communities. How revenge becomes a tradition. How broken boys become feared men. For Indian readers craving truth-laced drama, raw storytelling and emotional weight, this isn’t just a movie. It is a mirror.

Whether you grew up in Punjab or follow headlines in Indian metros, this story hits hard. And that is exactly why it is trending. It is not perfect. But it is real. And in today’s scroll culture, real stands out.