An eye-opening account of the Punjab drug crisis
By Murtaza Ali Khan (@apotofvestiges)
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| Udta Punjab (2016) - By Abhishek Chaubey |
Udta Punjab is an Indian crime film, based on drug abuse in the North Indian state of Punjab, co-written and directed by Abhishek Chaubey who has previously made films like Ishqiya and Dedh Ishqiya. Produced by Balaji Motion Pictures and Phantom Films, Udta Punjab stars Shahid Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Diljit Dosanjh in the lead roles. Udta Punjab got engulfed in a major controversy even before its release with the Central Board of Film Certification directing the producers to make as many as 89 cuts in the film citing that the themes dealt with in the film were too mature for the general audience. However, the Bombay High Court gave the permission for the film's national release with just a solitary cut.
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| Shahid Kapoor as Rockstar Tommy 'Gabru' Singh in Abhishek Chaubey's Udta Punjab |
Our Rating: 7.5
IMDb Ratings: 8.2
Genre: Crime | Drama | Thriller
Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor, Alia Bhatt
Country: India
Language: Hindi
Runtime: 148 min
Color: Color
Udta Punjab is an
eye-opening account of the ongoing drug crisis in Punjab that is fast engulfing
the youth of the state. The film shows how drugs consume the mind, body and
soul. The disturbing reality that Punjab has become makes one’s heart boil with
anger and eyes wet with tears. The movie presents a kaleidoscopic account of
how drugs enter the border state via Pakistan. How the ruthless drug lords operate
under the aegis of the state machinery. How easily the youngsters get sucked into
the maw of darkness, choosing to live in drug-induced utopias rather than face
reality. How hard it is for their families to rehabilitate them. How badly the
addicts suffer, both physically and mentally, during the withdrawal phase.
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| Kareena Kapoor as Dr. Preet in Udta Punjab |
Udta Punjab revolves
around a rockstar junkie named Tommy 'Gabru' Singh (inspired by Yo Yo Honey Singh), a
Punjab Police ASI named Sartaj, a lady doctor named Preet, and a female Bihari
migrant named Pinky, each of whom find themselves at the centre of the drugs
crisis. Tommy Singh is a youth icon who through his revolting songs and junkie ways
has convinced the youth that doing drugs is supposed to be cool. The youngsters
copy his mannerisms, hailing him as their idol. But little do they know that Tommy
is himself a victim of drug abuse. Tommy’s days are numbered. While his clients
have deserted him, the politicians and the police are desperate to make a
scapegoat out of him. Sartaj, a corrupt policeman, becomes aware of the menace of
drugs and joins Dr. Preet in her fight against drugs. As for Pinky, she gets
victimized by a gang of mangy drug peddlers. Thus, each of the four individuals must
find courage within themselves to fight the all pervasive evil.
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| Alia Bhatt in Abhishek Chaubey's Udta Punjab |
The acting is solid all
credit. Credit goes to Chaubey for eliciting worthy performances from all his
actors. Again, just like in Haider, Shahid gets to play a character on the
brink of madness. And, although, he appears a bit over the top during a couple
of sequences, he succeeds in pulling it off. Also, it’s good to see Alia in a
completely different avatar. It is never easy for a young actress who regularly
gets type casted to step out of the comfort zone but Alia here proves that she
is certainly not averse to trying out new things. Kareena has really matured well
as an actress. She puts up another solid show here to follow her brilliant
turn in R. Balki’s Ki & Ka. But, the movie's biggest surprise package is Diljit Dosanjh who delivers an absolutely unforgettable performance. It looks like Dosanjh is here to stay. The principal cast is well backed by the
supporting actors led by the veteran Satish Kaushik himself.
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| Diljit Dosanj as Sartaj in Udta Punjab |
Overall, Udta Punjab is
a historical film in many ways. In spite of being an out and out commercial
film, not only does Udta Punjab succeed in tackling a controversial subject
like cross border drug trafficking with great conviction, but it also serves as
a potent case study that dares to question the relevance of adhering to obsolete censorship norms in
modern India, perhaps ushering in a new era of filmmaking. The
support that the movie has received from both inside and outside the industry is
unprecedented and hopefully would go a long way in giving a new lease of life to
Hindi cinema. The movie’s cinematography and music give it a completely
different dimension. The use of dream sequences to accentuate the psychedelic
influence of drugs is nothing short of a masterstroke. One such sequence involving Alia is absolutely
brilliant to watch. Making a movie entirely on drugs is quite new for Hindi
cinema. It is a genre that the West excels at. Films like Danny Boyle’s Trainspotting, Darren Aronofsky’s Requiem for a Dream, and Steven Soderbergh’s
Traffic come to mind. Udta Punjab is
certainly not in that class but its socio-political commentary, heavily laced
with satire, is nonetheless quite effective. Here is a film that needs to be
watched by addicts and non-addicts alike.
Readers, please feel free to share your views/opinions in the comment box below. As always your insightful comments are highly appreciated!