Is Netflix’s Jogi Based on a True Story? Where Was it Filmed? – The terror that followed the assassination of then-prime minister Indira Gandhi in October 1984 is dramatized in “Jogi,” a Netflix original film written and directed by Ali Abbas Zafar of Tiger Zinda Hai and Gunday fame. The main character, Jogi, played by Diljit Dosanjh, tells this horrifying story from his point of view.
It is based in Delhi, the capital of India, and centers on the title character, a young Sikh man (Diljit Dosanjh). Following the killing of India’s prime minister, riots have broken out throughout the city, targeting common Sikh inhabitants. To ensure their safe journey to Punjab, Jogi and two other individuals form a team to save as many innocent people as possible. Three buddies from various backgrounds conduct one of the biggest rescue operations ever as tensions among the populace increase.
Jogi enlists the aid of Muslim truck owner Kaleem, played by Paresh Pahuja, and Haryanvi policeman Rawinder Chautala, played by Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, to covertly move every survivor from his Trilokpuri lane to Mohali in Punjab. The councilor for Trilokpuri, Tajpal Arora, who seasoned actor Kumud Mishra portrays, is determined to exterminate all Sikhs from the city by hiring criminals to commit atrocities.
Naturally, many people are interested in learning whether “Jogi” is based on a genuine tale and, if so, what factors led to such a crisis. Let’s jointly examine the specifics of the same.
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Is Jogi Based on a True Story?
Yes, ‘Jogi’ is inspired by a true story in part. The story of Jogi and his pals was imagined by writers Sukhmani Sadana and Ali Abbas Zafar, despite the fact that the rioting and tragedies depicted in the film were based on actual events. The anti-Sikh riots shown in the movie occurred in 1984 and were not restricted to the nation’s capital. Following the passing of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984, they spread throughout the country.
Operation Blue Star, a military operation that took place between June 1 and June 10, 1984, can be related to the beginning of the events that led to the horrors shown in the Diljit Dosanjh-starring film. Leader of the Khalistani movement Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his followers moved into the Golden Temple, also known as Harmandir Sahib, and began a large campaign to demand an independent Sikh state in 1982.
The Indian government started Operation Blue Star to drive Bhindranwale and the other militants out of the Harmandir Sahib. The decision to conduct a military operation inside a place of worship was received with fierce opposition from several organizations in India. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi gave the expedition the all-clear to halt Bhindranwale’s campaign. After the operation, there were hundreds of casualties, including both militants and civilians.
The government and independent sources all provided different official estimates for the same, but none contested that innocent lives were lost on the premises of the holiest Sikh temple. In addition, extensive shelling severely damaged Harmandir Sahib and Akal Takht, and Gandhi’s choice was roundly criticised because of the innocent victims.
Sikhs inside and outside India condemned the Prime Minister’s conduct as an assault on their faith and way of life. She was instructed to cut any Sikhs from her security detail due to the hostility toward her among the religious community. Gandhi believed that such a move would amplify the anti-Sikh attitude that was steadily growing in the nation. Nevertheless, she was adamant about keeping her bodyguards the same, notably Beant Singh, who was supposedly her favorite.
Beant and Satwant Singh killed Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984; the latter had joined her protection detail just five months earlier. The rest of the Prime Minister’s protection team managed to catch both assassins. In the aftermath of the tragedy, anti-Sikh sentiment in the country peaked. Sikh community members were attacked and even killed in numerous locations around India.
The worst rioting occurred in Delhi, despite the crowds torched Sikh-related homes and businesses. Many of those murdered or displaced by the riots, numbering in the thousands, were natives of the Indian capital. Numerous organizations have long theorized that the riots in Delhi were purposefully planned. Numerous people asserted that Gandhi’s party, the Congress, and its supporters were responsible for the city’s events.
Voter lists purportedly given to rioters by numerous Congress officials were used to identify Sikh homes and businesses, making it simple for the mob to target the group. The anti-Sikh riots resulted in thousands of fatalities, with more than two-thirds of them occurring in Delhi. Although the government reported that 3,350 Sikhs died due to the riots nationwide (2,800 in Delhi), numerous unbiased sources have indicated that the exact toll is between 8,000 and 17,000 people.
𝐉𝐎𝐆𝐈 Now Available on @NetflixIndia @netflix 🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/8CfUUGHo43
— DILJIT DOSANJH (@diljitdosanjh) September 16, 2022
The Sikhs’ governing body, Akal Takht, described the deaths as acts of genocide, and numerous independent and government-backed groups described them as a violation of human rights. Numerous prominent politicians were tried for their roles in the disaster in the wake of the riots. Many well-known people went free, although a few were given life sentences in prison (and one received a death sentence). The Delhi High Court gave Sajjan Kumar a life sentence in jail in December 2018, making him the first prominent person to be found guilty of the 1984 riots.
Beyond the real-life components of “Jogi,” one would be curious as to what exactly inspired the title character’s creation. Fortunately, director Ali Abbas Zafar has the answer. He said in an interview that the movie is about finding optimism amidst catastrophe. Zafar added that he and the crew meticulously selected facts before constructing a fictitious narrative around them; as a result, some details have been enhanced for artistic license.
The director also wants the theme of the film—that love triumphs above all tragedies—to be understood by the audience. Even though “Jogi” has fictional characters and plots, its larger themes and problems have real-world counterparts. The filmmakers did their best to capture the suffering and tragedies that the Sikh community endured due to the riots in 1984. Real-life experiences from survivors and eyewitnesses inspired the feelings and behaviors of various characters.
Where Was Jogi Movie Filmed?
Jogi, a Netflix original film, was shot in Delhi, India. Marcin Laskawiec created the cinematography for the film. Let’s look more closely at the production site since it fits the setting and plot of the Ali Abbas Zafar film rather well.
Delhi, India
The National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, which includes New Delhi, the country’s capital, is where the movie “Jogi” was filmed. The cast and crew recorded crucial scenes on location against appropriate backdrops because the tale primarily focuses on events in the city during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. In many shots, viewers might recognize well-known Delhi locations. Connaught Place and other locations have been shown to highlight the story’s setting and provide viewers with a window into Delhi residents’ daily lives.
Audience members with keen eyes will have no trouble identifying the use of Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses in the picture. The most heartbreaking sequence was filmed inside a vintage DTC bus. As of this writing, the city hardly still employs the same bus model because the DTC has switched to models with low floors. Such historically accurate components were included to maintain the story’s authenticity. Furthermore, because Jogi is a student at the beginning of the film, multiple sequences were shot on various Delhi college campuses.
