MOVIE REVIEW – UDTA PUNJAB (2016)

Here comes most controversial and talked about movies of the recent times – UDTA PUNJAB, after the 89 cuts by the Censor Board, relief by the Bombay High Court and the online leak of the Censor copy of the movie two days before the official release. This is the third directorial movie of ISHQIYA and DEDH ISHQIYA fame Abhishek Chaubey. One thing is for sure that movie with which Anurag Kashyap is associated have something new for its viewers.

UDTA PUNJAB is based on the drug menace prevailing in Punjab which is ruining the youth through the help of influential people and the Youth Icons misguiding them. This portrayal of Punjab in the present movie is much different from the Punjab of Yash Raj movies and the other Bollywood and Punjabi movies. ‘Sarson ke Khet’ of this movie are much scary than we have seen before in other movies.

The movie takes a gripping start with a discuss thrower in Pakistan throwing the packet of banned powder into Indian territory. It explores the state of youth, especially teenagers who have succumbed to substance abuse thanks to false idols like Tommy Singh. Movie stresses on Punjab soon becoming another Mexico is quite validly portrayed.

The movie also depicts who the drugs are hassle freely available to teenagers without any prescription and how drugs are transported freely with the help of corrupt policing system.

The movie revolves around its four main characters, viz Tommy Singh – a Cocaine addict rockstar ruining the life of youths, a Bihari Migrant girl – who accidently lands into trouble when she got the packet thrown from across the border into the farm, and she was captured by local hooligans and drug suppliers who pull her into addiction & also used her sexually, Sartaj – a corrupt cop from narcotics department who fight against drug menace when his young brother turns out to be an addict and Preet – a doctor who runs a rehab. for drug addicts and struggling to fight against drugs.

But the second half loses its grip. Love affairs of Tommy & Pinky and                Cop-Doc are quite out of place and like any other bollywood love story angle. Characters like Tommy’s manager are left loose ends post interval.

Climax of the film feels a bit sudden. But how else could a film end when the battle against drugs is still on? Imagine a state with its first line of control has one third of its youth population addicted to substances. But western-style gunfight like Ishqiya and Dedh Ishqiya brings Udta Punjab to its unlikely and unconvincing climax.

Star Peformance:-

Shahid Kapoor, like his performance in his earlier movie HAIDER played his role as a cocaine addict rockstar to a near perfection but in some scenes he look over.

Alia Bhatt played her part of a Bihari immigrant labourer marvellously. She has taken a big challenge to pick up a role like that but has performed with ease and picked up Bihari accent quite well.

Kareena Kapoor Khan as Doctor Preet has look good as always and picked up Punjabi accent quite well even better than in JAB WE MET.

Diljit Dosanjh made his debut in bollywood through this movie. He also looked good as a cop but in a scene when he slams Gabru for ruining the future of youth with his drug propagating songs, he is very good.

Final words:

Shorter duration of the movie may have more impact. Too much use of absurb language could have been avoided to attract more audience. It is not a family film but a message giving, undeniably purposeful commercial film. Don’t miss it.

My ratings for this movie is 3 out of 5 stars.

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