PTC Punjabi has entered a new era of collaboration, teaming with Australian production company TEMPLE to present three Punjabi feature films under the Australia–India Audiovisual Co-Production Treaty. The agreement brings the treaty to life in a way few regional-language ventures have attempted, with Australia positioned as the platform that will lift Punjabi cinema onto a larger international stage.
PTC Punjabi’s CEO, Rajiee M Shinde, said the moment matches the industry’s ambition. “Punjabi cinema is ready for its global leap, and Australia gives us the perfect runway. With TEMPLE this partnership is not just about making films—it’s about making history. Punjabi stories deserve the world, and together with Australia, we’re going to take them there with confidence, scale and pride.”
The collaboration gives Punjabi filmmakers access to Australian federal and state grants, rebates and creative incentives, which will allow budgets to stretch further through local crews, locations and studios. TEMPLE will manage treaty compliance, infrastructure and the broader Australian production environment, while PTC Punjabi leads creative development and distribution from India.
Anupam Sharma, Founder of TEMPLE, said the treaty has changed what is possible for cross-border collaborations. “The Australia–India Co-Production Treaty is a game-changer. Australia will be the engine that takes Punjabi cinema global—with world-class crews, studios, incentives and distribution access. PTC PUNJABI has been the guardian of Punjabi culture for decades, and together we will now take Punjabi stories to the world.”
Recent data shows how Indian films, including Punjabi releases, have overtaken Australian films at the local box office. Analysts note that this shift is unusual in a major English-language market, and it has encouraged more Indian studios to view Australia as a route to global audiences rather than simply a production backdrop.
The partnership will see three films developed and presented across India, Australia and New Zealand over the next 18 months. PTC Punjabi will bring three independent producers from its network to shape the films alongside TEMPLE, combining Punjabi creative grounding with international production goals. Forum, one of the region’s major distributors of Indian films, will handle theatrical releases across the ANZ territory.
Each film will use Australian locations, talent and post-production facilities. With the Punjabi community growing quickly in Australia and the Indian box office influence rising, both sides see the alliance as a pathway to strengthen global opportunities for Punjabi cinema.
The collaboration is framed as more than a production plan, with both partners positioning it as a redefinition of Punjabi cinema’s global presence through Australia’s screen sector.
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