Udta Punjab (2016) Movie Review
I have watched a movie and It is amazing. As i am a Punjabi and I have seen lot of Druggist in Punjab. And What movie has shown is totally correct/similar. Nothing was there that censor have to ban. And Only few movies are there in Bollywood who have shown this kind of reality without any fear. Hats of to the Director.
Initially, All were saying that there is some political character that should not be there in the movie. That is totally wrong. There is nothing like that in the movie.
Also Shahid Kapoor and Alia Bhatt have superb role in this. Diljit had played well as this was his first movie. In short I have totally enjoyed the movie.
A bold and raw film which should be applauded for its genuine attempt.
Controversies surrounding "Udta Punjab" finally comes to end as the dark-thriller drama releases today with high expectation thanks to the unwanted publicity it received. As the film was on the verge of getting released, I was wondering what led CBFC (Center Board Of Film Certification) to 89 cuts. We have seen films more violent and more brutal than this. Isn't the subject of "Udta Punjab" required to show the true facts and figures. I must say it was a bold and raw film which should be applauded for its genuine attempt.
"Udta Punjab" is story of 4 people whose lives have been influenced by the drug menace very much evident in the North Indian state of Punjab where it becomes easy money for peddlers selling heroin and opium through the safe hands of politicians.
Director Abhishek Chaubey, previously helmed the well-liked Ishqiya and not-so good Dedh Ishqiya, took a step forward and created a niche subject never been attempted on Indian cinema before. Hats off to him and definitely to the producer Anurag Kashyap for taking his stand through out the controversies surrounding the film. Now coming to the film, the opening scene caters to the subject of drugs easily being exported from neighboring county (an athlete throws a packet of heroin like a "discus throw") and falling into our motherland as if some UFO has landed from space. Subsequent scenes introduces the four main protagonist and each character has been defined appropriately. Till the 1st half, you will be completely kept engrossed thanks to the tight screenplay (ofcourse you will wondering why the film was censored). Second half starts with some promise but goes down the deep rabbit hole and never ever recovers from there. Too much of melodrama and unwanted editing loses the steam built by the engaging first half. The easy access to the drug factory by Diljit Dosanjh and Kareena Kapoor and sneaking out with less effort with out even getting noticed by anyone is indigestible, the human connection between Shahid Kapoor and Alia Bhatt is far stretched and the climax fight scenes are pretty abrupt which dilutes the impact of second half.
Nevertheless, the film is a brave attempt and nail-biting moments like Alia Bhatt fighting back from getting injected with drugs, her frustration venting out when she meets Shahid Kapoor after the concert and the chemistry between Diljit Dosanjh and Kareena Kapoor are some of the highlights of the film. The art direction is splendid along with creative cinematography. Background score is good. Music by Amit Trivedi is mindblowing as it further sets the mood of the film. The title track "Udta Punjab" and "Da Da Dasse" is pick of a lot. "Udta Punjab" is definitely a performance oriented film and that is the key element to watch the film. Among the four main protagonist, Alia Bhatt steals the show. The gifted actor is simply superb as Biharan who lands herself as a migrant ( though she is state-level hockey player). Watch out for her when she kills the guy responsible for her messy state by continuously venting out her frustration. Shahid Kapoor was just about okay in the role that required more intense which was clearly missing. Kareena Kapoor was subtle as Preet. I like her when she plays more simpler characters. Diljit Dosanjh was a good surprise. The Punjabi superstar manages to make an impression inspite of his first Bollywood film.
Dark, relevant & to the point with great performances by the assemble cast!
UDTA PUNJAB is worth the hype. And not in terms of all the bad things said about it, it's genuinely an eye opener. It talks about the drug scenario in the youth of Punjab in a very relevant and realistic way. Following the three disclaimers initially, film is a pure truth under the camouflage of fiction.
UDTA PUNJAB revolves around the four lead characters connected with the substance abuse. Tommy Singh (Shahid Kapoor) is so high, under his fading success that you can't guess what he will do next. He is the direct result of what we consume and idolize. The persona, the crass, the love for hate, Tommy has it all. Shahid Kapoor's skin deep Tommy is a must watch. And so is Alia Bhatt. A Bihari migrant worker trying to make her life better, ends up in an unexpected mess. She takes you just by one strike, down and out. Alia Bhatt is not a pleasant surprise in such a different part, but an emerging talent which might level out all other to the ground. See it to believe it! Preet (Kareena Kapoor Khan) is a Doctor working at rehabilitation for the addicts is good and bold in her approach. She looks more bright with here curious eyes and that connects. And Sartaj Singh (Diljit Dosanjh) is a cop stuck between money and wrong. He is so true and innocent till his core and from there on what we see is solid performance. What a debut!
UDTA PUNJAB is choppy at places, but I love the transitions with the structure. The edit is not much to talk about, but it sets a pace with gripping background music. Second half is bit slow and few things looks like losing control. Songs are good and my personal favorite is Ikk Kudi… It's still there, humming somewhere.
Characters speaks out from real life. And Punjab is captured in such a realism, thank god, no mustard fields this time. Language is well taken care off, it's very true to the way we speak. And this is the most important aspect of UDTA PUNJAB for me, its authenticity! The unconventional story telling might not be for everyone, but it's intriguing. Technically UDTA PUNJAB is not in its best form which itself is a way to take story forward. Cheers to Abhishek Chaubey for this.
UDTA PUNJAB is neither a great film, not a path-breaking technical scorer. It's a mirror which some wanted to smash before we could see. The struggle has paid off with somewhat shady and choppy, but reality is stark. Let there be reflections!
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