Udta Punjab - Udd Geya

Udta Punjab is typical caricature of Anurag Kashyap. Does that guy function without chutiya for more than ten words. All the verbal MCs, BCs (converted to PC in Punjabi) is true representation of Punjab. But for cinematic and presentation purposes, they could have milder version of the cuss words like bhootni ki is soft and vegetarian version of chutiya. Even my text is also veering towards Anurag Kashyap.

It is actually a salutory job of Abhishek Chaubey, so little time to research and yet he managed to show so many aspect of Punjabis through his hard hitting social drama. The film categorically says no relation of any character to any person living or dead. Initially they show a pole with the advertisement of IELTS imprinted in the background. IN which frame of Punjab, one cannot capture the advertisement of IELTS, everybody wants to go abroad. On Kareena Kapoor’s table,  There is another book of GATE or PLAB or some examination to move abroad. Not only uneducated but the educated also hope to settle abroad.

In terms of 360 degree of the problem of drugs in Punjab, they have shown a rockstar, a hockey player who is poor and most of them are, Police who is effervescent in not controlling the smuggling of drugs, the doctor who are trying to treat the addicts, drug dealers and in the background politicians are shown to be running the whole operations and even asking votes for drugs. Like a Bollywood singer, there is no music industry in India but only Bollywood music but Punjab is a place, where there is a singer or a budding singer in every alternate home. More Punjabi music is released in India than all the Bollywood music combined twice over. The way Punjabi singers flaunt their cars, bikes, guns, tattoos, gold, funky hair and designer beards is epic and not to mention drugs. Shahid Kapoor tries to embody the true rockstar from Punjab plus the hallucinations of the addict and also sporting a hair style with word FUDDU inscribed in the hair.

Zameen banjar te aulaad kanjar (Parched land and foolish kids) is the truth about the Punjab. The filmmakers kept the Punjabi words flowing in and around to show the impact of the language and build the right temperament for the scene. Like my friend said, Punjab mein prostitute ko gashti kehte hai (Do you call prostitute as gashti in Punjabi?). His vocabulary of cuss words in multilingual now.

Shahid Kapoor who plays a tattooed rockstar named Tommy Singh, who lives on cocaine, London returned with tattoos, ‘Momma da Boy’ tattooed on his collarbone, moves along with his entourage who are good for nothing. Yet a rockstar in Punjab needs to show his permanent company at every place. His acting is so bang on target as if he is a genuine rockstar, who all are suffering from the problem of drug addiction. The shoes of Tommy Singh, depict he is ready to fly, nobody forgets them. Always flashing V sign with the title given to him, Da Gabru.

Tommy Singh is arrested by the cop Sartaj, who likes to follow the orders as received from the employers (politicians). Sartaj changes when he witnesses his nearly dead brother who adores and a huge fan of Tommy Singh and his ways but lands in hospital due to drug overdose available at local pharmacies in Punjab. Pretty Sahni invokes his conscience, which is not good for his job as his brother ends in drug rehabilitation centre due to drug overdose. Bally is bang on target with his acting and the role and his struggle to leave drugs and also run towards them, which ends up killing the loved ones. Bally is always flying like Tommy Singh from the trip of chitta (Heroin) and does not wish to be bothered from the same. In the meantime, all those who became fan of Sartaj Singh’s (Diljit Dosanjh) acting, should watch Punjab: 1984, another gripping tale of terrorism in Punjab. 

All the talk of Alia Bhatt, as I was not tracking those news, and now I understood. Alia Bhatt, the pretty young girl from the Bhatt family has outperformed not only by her standards but by the whole industry standards. Who would dump the glamorous avatars and the comfort to work hard in playing the role of a nobody with a mud face and torn clothes. Who plays a hockey player and yet ends up tilling the fields. It also shows the plight of Hockey players in our country. She is poor and forced into the drug abuse.

Another actors to watch are the Inspector played by Manav Vij, full bearded cop. He looked like a real life cop without any traces of an actor. His acting could not get more close to reality. 

Amit Trivedi is a talent scouted and groomed by Anurag Kashyap. His melodies and his music and his voice makes you drool over and you don’t need chitta to trip on it. Add to it the catchy lyrics, talking about drugs and the psychology of an addict. My personal favorite is Da Da Dasee (Stings hard and effectively) by Kanika Kapoor and Babu Haabi. Shiv Kumar Batalvi’s poem, Ikk Kudi is another soul wrenching number. For starters, Shiv Kumar Batalvi is Shakespeare of Punjabi Literature who dies in late 70s or 80s, who wrote poems in love and separation from his love by society and the girl’s father. There is song, Kitte Kalli Behke Sochi Ni, is one song without which no singer in Punjab can complete his career. Everybody leaves with watery eyes or flowing eyes after hearing Batalvi’s poem recitals.

The Controversy

Let’s roll back to the Udta Punjab controversy and the huge battle that was fought in Courts and more extensively in the media. Censor Board is Central Board of Film Certification, whose role is to certify films and not censorsize them. So many Bollywood films have struggled or fought with the Censor Board and yet little people get to know.

But Udta Punjab with its social message became the poster child of agitation against the dictatorial rule of Censor Board. Pahlaj Nihalani, is a good director for the arty films he had directed/written in 1980’s and he showed some of his actresses in the worst vulgar manner possible especially for the times. But I was perplexed he couldn’t not finish two sentences without fumbling and mumbling that they made his Censor Board Chief and all the stupid debauchery that cam from his end. Whether it was politically motivated or not but he had the film makers and the industry with like Satish Kaushik says in the movide, fadd lo tattey (grab my balls).

But the interesting thing in the whole issue is the Freedom of Expression, that why Govt. is toying with the idea every six months, they find some or the other way to experiment as to how people respond to the curtailment of their Fundamental Rights. Mahesh Bhatt said, all this talk to Development has no meaning if we are going to take away the Rights of people to express themselves. Will the Govt. tell us how to react to a situation? To the Govt., you are not chitta that everybody starts floating after consuming it.

Udta Punjab should be given Govt. felicitation for bringing the topic to the core and not Govt. should focus on the problem and make an attempt to save a whole generation in Punjab as clearly it is the leaders in Punjab who are part of the drug problem.

In the whole controversy, people actually forget to talk about the decade old break up of Kareena Kapoor and Shahid Kapoor (dumping of Shahid does not sound cool). Censor Board who is teaching morality to an industry are themselves bereft of the same that somehow or the other Udta Punjab was leaked before the release by the Censor Board. To Modiji’s promise, heads should roll. But they can still learn from simple and honest words of Anurag Kashyap:

“I have never downloaded a film on torrent, i don't know how to. yes occasionally i have seen downloaded films borrowed from friends and found a way to pay for them later, by buying them on DVD or BluRay, and when i say this i also say that no one can stop your right to download a film. This time its a different fight, its a fight against censorship and if you are that audience that always downloads a film, then i won't ask you to not do that , please do, but wait till Saturday which is the day you would normally download a film. Piracy happens because of lack of access and in a world of free internet, i do not have a problem with it. My problem is that this time its a case of vested interests trying to demoralize people from fighting for their rights. So all downloaders of Udta Punjab , i urge, wait till Saturday till you decide to not pay for the film, don't download and share , curb the curiosity for two more days. Thank you for reading this.”

SECURITY or INSECURITY

Must have seen the above pictures last week. Infosys is happy and thankful for the Govt. to provide CISF (Central Industrial Security Force). CISF personnel are happy to lend a helping hand to the Corporates and particularly Infosys.

Infosys chief mentor N.R. Narayana Murthy quoted,
“I would like to thank the central government, the home ministry, and the state government for helping us get the security services of CISF personnel”

CISF Inspector General R.K. Mishra was also elated and elaborated,
“This is for the first time since its creation in 1969 that the CISF will be providing security cover to a corporate organization. We are pleased and proud to be entrusted with the responsibility of security at Infosys.”

“CISF will act as an arms support. Our main task is to delay, deny and neutralize any possible terror strike in Infosys. We'll provide unobtrusive and inclusive security cover, and regular security cover of the Infosys will be done by the existing security personnel of the company.”


Govt. feels that is the best solution, they can offer/give to corporates because of terrorist threats to blow up their business establishments. Do we (as citizen of India) feel is it correct to provide security cover to the Corporates like that? Gradually it will extended to the entire Electronic City. 79 other corporate have sought security cover from Home Ministry for their business establishments.

I am against this idea not because of the costs and expenditure to the Govt. Infosys because of its principles and practices are ready to bear the cost. But do we believe that businesses can be run by holding up like a fortress? Like the dispute in Nandigram, Mr. Buddhdeb Bhattacharya was ready to offer all the support to Ratan Tata and provide police protection to the plant. Mr. Ratan Tata said businesses cannot be run under police security. We are not at WAR.

But the CISF security in front of all the big campus houses creates an atmosphere like that only as if we are fighting the insurgency all the time. I know and understand I have lived in those terrorist active days of Punjab and we had bunkers built of heavy steel outside my colony. As a kid, I questioned my mum why they are always standing there. Are they going to kill us? My mum explained to me that they are here to shield us and provide us security. Somehow over a period of time, we got used to their presence.

To tell you honestly, when the CISF was taken off from that point that was the time when we felt really safe and secure. Their presence brought anxiety and insecurity within us.

Is this what Govt. has in place to provide security to us or the solution they can provide?

This is American way of fighting terrorism. You cannot convert the country into a fortress and then say, yes this is what we have done best for our nation?

I got really uncomfortable with the deployment of armed guards at Churchgate Station after 26/11. I know Govt. is doing this for our security. I could also have been the victim of 26/11. Why can’t we get into process where we can try to ensure and insure that nothing of that sort happens again? Instead the Govt. does not even feel threatened. The presence of armed guards only arouses anxiety and insecurity in our mind and hearts of a citizen.

Taj Mahal Hotel & Palace was under attack on 26/11. Look at the street which houses this Hotel. It was one of the most famous landmark in India and lakhs of people flocked the place daily. It is lonely and desolute, still carrying the marks of 26/11. It is never going to be same again. Due to fear of a terrorist activity in future, the Govt. is victimizing itself and the citizens of this country.

Mr. Ratan Tata can claim and say that they have destroyed the greeting lobby of Taj Hotel for the security of their patrons. They have armed gaurds on one side and metal detectors on the other side. But do they all this, they can make the experience of their guests arriving in sedan cars enjoyable? They have bitterness when they are made to stretch their arms before entering the hotel and pay thousands for a meal.

I don’t know what is the real situation to this problem since it is coming from somewhere else? India always needs to find an Indian solution rather than follow the American way.

I know many may not agree with my opinion. We need to support Pakistan along with some of the international Aid agencies and UN. It is a point of inflexion and may end in a worse position than Afghanistan or Iraq. Where they had dictators with one single approach and focus? But in Pakistan there are radicalists, fundamentalists, revolutionaries, fanatics, pimps, America.

So you see all the monsters are present at one place.

So you need to drive them out, kill them, bully them, sully them or channelize their focus. I don’t know but the approach should be different from the one we are following now.

Thomas Friedman has very aptly said in his last book, Hot, Flat and Crowded a small brief with context to an American embassy in Africa, “where Birds can’t Fly”. America has built its embassy into a fortress on a hill. Nobody can walk into the embassy for a form even. Even if a bird appears in its vicinity it is shot dead to subvert any kind of terrorist activity. Terrorists tried to attack the embassy all they could was strike a jeep of explosives against the lower end of one of the thickest stone walls in the world.

We need to understand, this is not security. It is called INSECURITY. You are alienating yourself from your peers, yourself and the World.

You don’t have windows, you cannot have fresh air. Everything is locked to ward of terrorists. But mind you they are right there in your drawing room, in your minds. Few years down the line we would be fighting with our paranoid minds. The fear in our mind will be intruding our PEACE and LIFE.

RAINS - MUMBAI

Well my friends, the rainy season started, at least for Mumbaiites. I like to mention Mumbaiites as I am not a mumbaikar. Mumbaiite also covers immigrants like me who are hopping places. I know monsoons have arrived pretty late this time. As usual, our Met Dept. studies are more vague than the readings of Mr. Bejan Daruwala. Always expect the opposite from what they predict. Barely two weeks back, the monsoon was normal and now they say you can expect below than normal monsoon. Don’t these guys feel ashamed of themselves? Try and at least justify your job, man.

Bollywood has always fancied with rains. Some of our actresses have given their best (read finest) performances in rains. Nargis, Dimple, Ravina, Kareena, you name them from your grandmother’s time till date. Remember the famous poster of Nargis and Raj Kapoor with umbrella in their hands. It is iconic. For Mumbaiites, rains become a special charm not only because of the respite that we get from the sticky weather. But also Mumbai is dry like a desert for nine months in a year and for three months, you cannot even roam in your house without umbrella.

But I always wonder what is so special about rains in Mumbai? Nothing really, people living in western region of the country, experience the same. As they said, it’s the attitude that makes the difference. That is what Mumbaiites possess and that too, loads and loads of it. No matter how much it rains, Mumbai is always functioning as normal. In Rajasthan, people would stop working because of rains. As is they normally work hard………lolz!

Rains brings special kind of joy, mixed feelings and feelings of joy and happiness in a tropical nation like India. Tip-tip barsa paani, chham chham barse ye barsaat re…….. so many Bollywood memorable videos have been shot in rains. Videos because rains can force a person to behave out of his bounds and they bring the lighter, lively, lovely and raunchy side of you in open. Farmers enjoy and dance in rain as they’ll be able to feed the Mother Earth and in turn feed themselves. Sea faces are jam-packed. The chill and the thrill that you get is just out of the world experience.

In Mumbai, quite the opposite happens, trust me guys. Inspite of the fact that all sea-fronts are jam-packed. For lovers, in this cramped and running city, few moments of togetherness with privacy is most important. I really wonder how all the lovers hound the Bandra Reclamation, it is stinking like hell. In this rains, it is worst place to roam around. Even more horrifying thing to think is, where will all these love birds go, when this creek is taken over by some rich building goliaths. The water stops flowing in this part of the sea because of the garbage dumped in the sea. It’s only in monsoon that there is little activity in water movement in the creek and the whole place starts stinking like hell.

Back home in Punjab, when it used to rain, especially first few showers would bring the lovely fragrance of mud in the air. It would be simply electrifying more than Raveena’s hip shaking in tip-tip. It was because of this amazing smell that I realized that indeed Earth is Mother of all of us. However, later realized that it’s because it gives place to our bodies after we die.

In Mumbai, it stinks like hell after few showers of rain in the beginning when the monsoon arrives. It seems as if the whole of Mumbai pees in open. You can smell the stinking smell of urine all over Mumbai, be it stinky and dirty areas of slums or so called posh areas like SoBo.

It’s again raining now and I can smell the pureness of water as it trips from clouds in the sky. After all it’s a scarce resource and but then as it touches the Mother Earth to cleanse it but then the smell of urine just simply is there to take everything from you.

BTW, Do not stop expecting from the Met Dept. that the late arrivals of monsoons was not an issue because the quantum of rainfall was sufficient to fathom the stomach of Mother Earth.

On that note I sign off guys, a small piece of advice.

Try to avoid everything, "enjoy the monsoons".