K armaFilm’s latest collaboration with Agam Darshi is expected to inject millions into Saskatchewan’s economy, according to Creative Saskatchewan.

The Saskatoon, Sask.-based prodco recently wrapped production in Regina on Our Big Punjabi Family, a 6 x 30-minute Punjabi- and English-language comedy series about a large South Asian family forced to live together because of Canada’s expensive housing market.

The series is created by showrunner Leena Manro and Darshi, who also serve as directors and executive producers. Anna McRoberts is another director on the series, while Sara B. Cooper is consulting producer.

Creative Saskatchewan estimates the series will generate an economic output of $3.5 million, according to a press release. Our Big Punjabi Family has an estimated $1.87 million spend on labour, goods, and services in the province, with more than $1 million invested in local labour, according to Creative Saskatchewan CEO Erin Dean in a statement.

Our Big Punjabi Family received more than $746,000 in production funding from the province’s Feature Film and Television Production Grant Program, with an additional $750,000 from the Canada Media Fund’s Pilot Program for Racialized Communities (initially announced under the title My Big Indian Family). It was also financially supported through the SaskTel Max Equity Fund, Vancouver VFX company 24 Frames Digital Films, and Film Incentive BC.

Additional executive producers on the project are KarmaFilm’s Kelly Balon and Anand Ramayya; Doug Mankoff, founder of L.A.’s Echo Lake Entertainment; 24 Frames Digital Films CEO Andy Nathani; and Mel D’Souza, president and executive producer at Vancouver-based content developer Silo Entertainment.

The Canadian broadcaster will be announced at a later date, Playback understands.

The cast of Our Big Punjabi Family includes Arshdeep Purba, Arkinder “Arkie” Kandola (Easter Sunday), Bushra Ansari (Baydardi), Bhavkhandan “BK” Singh Rakhra (Until Branches Bend), Balinder Johal (Donkeyhead), Rakhi Sharma, Navneet Kaur, and Jag Bal (The Flash).

KarmaFilm previously worked with Darshi on her award-winning feature directorial debut, Donkeyhead, which was acquired by Ava DuVernay’s distributor Array Releasing for release in the U.S., U.K., Australia and New Zealand. The prodco is also a producer on the upcoming King of Killers series, which Creative Saskatchewan said is expected to trigger more than $20 million in local spend in the province.

The government of Saskatchewan increased its 2022/23 investment into the province’s film and TV grant program to $17.5 million in October, up from the initial $10 million announced in the spring. The program was revamped from its previous annual budget of $2 million, with the funding cap increased from $600,000 to $5 million.

“I’m always looking for opportunities to bring productions home and thrilled to be a part of Saskatchewan’s economic growth, especially with content from underrepresented creators,” said KarmaFilm’s Balon in a statement. “The more productions we can bring into the province, the stronger the industry becomes in this renaissance of screen-based opportunity. This is just the beginning.”

Photo by Peter Christensen, pictured (L-R): Arshdeep Purba, Usha Uppal, BK Singh Rakhra, Rakhi Sharma, Bushra Ansari, Balinder Johal, Arkie Kandola