Sarson ke khet and bhangra were the cinematic cliches about Punjab until Udta Punjab released last year. Reflecting the grave issue of drug abuse in the state, this Shahid Kapoor-Alia Bhatt starrer stirred the critics and the audience alike. Ahead of the film’s world TV premiere, director Abhishek Chaubey shares his takeaways
While the theatrical release of Udta Punjab followed numerous edits, the Censor Board has suggested a three-minute cut for television viewing. Your takeIJ
Television is a medium that is available to a majority and is the lowest common denominator. In theatres, there is a provision where only adults can walk in and at that time we should have the ability to express and stretch ourselves in the best interest of the film. As a film-maker, I am responsible enough to understand that the content of my film cannot be shown to a child. So the kind of cuts that were asked for TV viewing were truly acceptable to me.
Were you present when the movie was being edited for television viewingIJ
Yes, they wanted me to be part of the process. I made a few suggestions completely from the aesthetic point of view because we had to follow the guidelines.
Punjab has always been shown as a land of music, farmers and joie de vivre in Bollywood. How challenging was it to change the onscreen portrayal of the stateIJ
I did not have any intention of changing the image or portrayal or show Punjab in a different manner. I think if a film-maker talks about a problem prevailing in a particular area, he is talking out of a lot of love and concern. Since I love Punjab and care for it, I made the film. Those who deny the existing situations or hide the problems are people who do not love the state. I shot Punjab for what it is. I took a big risk in shooting the film predominantly in Punjabi so that it looks real and not a fantasy. I shot it for what it is.
Any interesting insight you came across while researching for the filmIJ
The most shocking revelation was the number of youngsters who were addicted to drugs in Punjab. We went to various rehabs and saw patients from different strata of society. People from all walks of life were ailing because of this problem. It was a true eye-opener. But more than the challenges the drug addicts face while recovering, what I took home was the spirit of the activists, doctors and healthcare professionals working in Punjab. Their strength and zest for life to fight this menace really inspired me.
Was casting Diljit Dosanjh a conscious choice for lending relevance to the filmIJ
Not really. After, Shahid, Alia and Kareena were on board, we were still searching for someone to play Sartaj. Then somebody told me about Diljit. He usually does comedy films so I was hesitant. But when I saw Punjab 1984, I knew that he had the potential for dramatic acting as well. I spoke to Kareena and she was also open to working with him. It was a fresh pairing. But I was still in two minds till he walked into my office to meet me. Within ten minutes I had found my Sartaj.
Are the characters played by Shahid and Alia inspired from anyone in real lifeIJ
Not anyone in particular.
Alia’s character has no name in the film. WhyIJ
When Sudip and I were writing the script, it happened very organically. Neither did we force it, nor were we trying to act smart or cool. Alia is this extremely poor girl, living on the margin of the society she doesn’t belong to, barely earns enough to keep her body and soul intact and hardly has any friends. Her sorrow deepens when she chances upon the world of drugs. At that point too, the character is interacting with people she doesn’t know. She is a nobody; and nobody cares for her. There was no situation in the film that led us to name her.
Do you feel the film has had a positive impact in PunjabIJ
I don’t know if cinema really changes the world. It just makes people aware of what is happening in our neighborhood. Movies at times are a truer representation of reality than TV or newspapers. Cinema is not just a repository of information but also gets into the personal and emotional lives of people who are affected by a problem. Our duty was to represent the problem in all its dimensions and tell a human story about it. When the film came out, it did very well in Punjab. This means people somewhere connected with what we were trying to say and they wanted to see all that was going on.
Watch Udta Punjab on &pictures on April 30 at 12 noon