Udta Punjab

There was only one way to find out if the film, a topic of controversy since late May this year, was worthy of all the fuss: to watch it. And it was a genuinely poignant experience to watch Ishqiya-fame Abhishek Chaubey's crime drama unfold and speak volumes about a state in grave peril.

Tommy (Kapoor) is a London-bred Punjabi rock-star who goes by the name Gabru among his fans. Cocaine is a prime ingredient in his lavish lifestyle which soon becomes evident to the viewers who witness his and his crew's eccentricity and madness. One of his little-known fans is Bali (Prabhjyot) who regards Gabru as his idol and cocaine as his medicine. The person who has no idea about Bali's frequent bouts of psychedelic enjoyment is his brother Sartaj (Dosanjh), a cop and a minor yet ignorant player in the corrupted law-enforcement system of Punjab. Dr. Sahni (Khan) is the only major character in the story who doesn't do drugs, and is more of a crusader against them than a medical practitioner. Slightly deviated from all these personages is a Bihari migrant and hockey ace (Bhatt) who was promised a national-level tournament but was handed an insecticide spraying machine instead. Things take a virulent turn for all of them when, one by one, Tommy gets jailed, Bali gets hospitalized, Sartaj gets taunted by Dr. Sahni for his role in the drug problem, and the migrant getting entangled in a petty peddling issue.

It doesn't take much time for the writers to set the scene and let drugs take on the remaining part. And it is also evident what they really had in mind: to explicitly showcase the drug menace in the state and its horrendous consequences, some of which are worse than death. Perhaps the best scene of the film and a scene where the viewers will definitely get a jolt if they are paying attention is when Gabru finds himself locked up in a shared jail cell where also are sitting two of his hardcore teen fans who were arrested for hitting their own mother after she refused to give them money to buy drugs, a habit which they directly imbibed from their rock-star. Brilliant!

The score is absolutely stunning as it supports the sequences in unleashing their total effect. With some fabulous sampling of songs, the narration is pretty straightforward, if not crisp. It does go haywire a couple of times, but they are brief and were probably mandatory for easy flow of the script. Outstanding performances by Kapoor and Bhatt. It is isn't easy to portray such characters. Dosanjh is fine and so is his co-actor who seemed to go into Jab We Met mode at times. Supporting cast is good, especially Satish Kaushik.

With a fast-paced climax, the film is gritty, dark, gory, and tragic for all the stories that intertwine towards the end shut shop once the idea is successfully resonated. It doesn't establish nonsense.

BOTTOM LINE: Abhishek Chaubey's Udta Punjab is an important film that only cares about exhibiting the current scenario of a state embroiled in a drug menace. It almost makes you believe in the story, which everyone knows is at least partially true. Go watch it in your nearest theater.

Can be watched with a typical Indian family? NO

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!

#UDTAPUNJAB SALUTE TO MAKERS! EXCELLENT FILM! 9.5*! Diljit Dosanjh is very very good and so is Kareena Kapoor. On the other hand, Shahid Kapoor and Alia Bhatt are phenomenal! #UdtaPunjab #UdtaPunjab spreads awareness about a very important issue in a very entertaining manner! This film is hilarious in many parts! And still, its emotional content is too strong! Excellent work on direction,writing,screenplay,editing. Never bores you. #UdtaPunjab #UdtaPunjab is a must watch! This film, while dealing with an important issue, doesn't preach. It grips you with it's emotional... ...and funny content! I salute the makers for making such a bold film! #UdtaPunjab 9.5* from me! Alia's performance as a field worker is commendable. Her struggle to escape the harsh reality is met with horrific consequences but she is a fighter, who survives the storm. The impact is such that it will stay with you even when you leave the theater.

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.

The movie is not just any kinda movie with fun and laughter. Its the truth that someone had to bring out eventually. I am glad that Supreme Court intervened and minimized the cuts otherwise a piece of art would have been sacrificed. After seeing the movie you will realize that how sad it is that a state that once had a martyr born in every house has now being replaced by a druggie in every house. Its an old saying that if you want to destroy a country targeting its youth is one of the many initial steps one takes. And it takes only minutes of watch to see who supplies the drugs. That is just one aspect and not just that, the movie then focuses its attention to the basic route and mode of operation of this cartel.This is a must watch movie and one must not just watch it for fun rather one must feel pity for the sorry state of the state that once bubbled with life and energy. As the story revolves around four characters independently at first they are later interwoven though not the best but in an appreciable manner. Shahid and Alia steal the show. There characters are flawless and there screenplay is superb. Diljit the apple of eye of all Punjabi added his best bits and his work is worth commending. I did feel that after the interval the movie was bit too long. The flaw is in editing section and it could have been a lot better. It could have been chipped in some places and it could have saved a few minutes that gave a lethargic feeling. But anyways, overall the movie was worth a watch and a to be recommended one as well. Its not everyday when you see a marvel being created and presented unaltered or unscathed. I am glad Anurag and his team fought till the end to save this piece of art.