Showing posts with label Gul Panag. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gul Panag. Show all posts
Motherhood is thankless and exhausting. We should normalize saying this-Gul Panag
10:16 AM
When people with small kids plan vacations, they book a direct flight to a destination that does not involve too much hectic sight-seeing. When Gul Panag takes a holiday with her six-year-old son, she drives an SUV to the mountains and sets up camp amidst pine trees. In 2022, the former Miss India, actor and adventure junkie undertook an eight-day cycling expedition to Ladakh. Nihal, then four, followed in a car as she peddled up the steep slopes. The actor, who uses the display name Tiger Kaur on WhatsApp, spoke to Neha Bhayana about her parenting mantras
Neha Bhayana (THE TIMES OF INDIA; March 10, 2023)
Nihal is six years old now. Does he still keep you on your toes?
Yes and no. I think some things get better as the child grows up and some things become challenging. I find that Nihal vocalises and articulates better now. He is also open to reasoning so much more than he was when he was a toddler. Toddlers tend to be very temperamental, and you don’t know why. In some ways, he does keep me on my toes but he is also very self-sufficient. That’s how I used to be as a kid too. I remember very clearly… I had my own ecosystem. While it was great to play with friends, if I was at some place where there were no friends, I was completely happy to entertain myself.
Most kids constantly need someone to keep them engaged. How did you encourage your son to be independent at an early stage?
I think part of it is nature and part of it is nurture. There is a certain disposition that comes as a result of what we inherit in our DNA. When I was just four or five years old, I lived at a farm in Punjab with my septuagenarian grandparents while my parents were in Russia. So, for two years, when I used to come home from school, there was no company because our farm was a kilometre away from the village. I used to just hang out with dogs, goats and chickens. I was always good at entertaining myself and I think that’s something that is either inherent in Nihal or he’s probably picked it up.
What do you and Nihal like to do when you are together?
I believe in quality over quantity when it comes to spending time with Nihal. There’s no point in me just sitting next to him and staring at my phone. So, the first rule is I leave my phone behind. I try to involve Nihal in whatever I am doing but I don’t perform for him. That’s how our parents brought us up. One doesn’t always have to make puzzles or play with Lego; he does that with my husband (pilot Rishi Attari). The thing we do together is what I am anyway doing as part of my chore list. I ask him if he would like to help me load the laundry or bathe the dogs or pack my bag. If he is busy playing, I may have to ask twice. He then stops what he is doing and comes and hangs out with me. We chat and do the chore together. He asks about the washing machine’s spin cycle or something else. I think that is a very valuable time because we are engaged and we are doing something productive. I also love travelling with him. We always reach the airport early. But when we are there, he is not sitting with me saying “mamma mamma”. He would be doing his own thing, looking at planes or something, within my range of vision. And, he can make a toy out of anything. We have a rule. We never take toys along when we travel.
Which is the opposite of what most parents do….
But then how is the child learning something new from the environment? Like last week when we were in Kazakhstan, he was using a tea bag as a plane and kept ‘flying’ it. On another trip, he took the hotel slippers, put his hand inside them and pretended he was flying a jet. He devises his own entertainment.
Most parents pack their children’s schedule with classes and play dates. What’s your take?
We’ve all made those mistakes. I think free play is really important. Nihal also reads a lot of books. He has been reading independently for some time now. We started reading to him when he was a year and a half, even if it didn’t make sense to him at that age, so books are a big part of his life. When we were at a café-cum-bookshop in Mumbai recently, Nihal went and found himself a book that was relevant to him. It was a collectible book on the story of Star Wars and he just read it the whole time. He has watched the Lego Star Wars which is a super funny and an interesting animated TV show based on the Star Wars universe.
What are your rules about the three big S’s — screens, sugar and sleep?
I am very militant. I have not introduced sugar in Nihal’s diet because we have banned sugar at home. It was a bit of a tough battle because I had friends and family who would point out that we all have had sugar as children. But my argument is that I have spent my life fighting an addiction to sugar. I have to eat one bite of brownie and then I can’t stop myself because it’s dopamine and it’s completely addictive. My husband and I are on the same page on this, and we have been very particular. From the time Nihal stopped formula milk, he was given plain milk with no additives. We carry small tetra packs while travelling, so I can easily give milk to him anywhere. If Nihal goes to a party and somebody offers him cake, he sometimes has a little or sometimes he does not, depending on his wish. We don’t keep sugar or sugary foods at home but we have left it up to him when he is out. In fact, some of my cousins would secretly feed him sweets. But he isn’t a kid who asks for sweets because he hasn’t developed a taste for it.
Screen time is limited to when we have a long flight or long car drive. When we are not travelling, the only screen he sees with us is the big screen at cinemas. Delhi has some lovely kids’ cinemas now. We try to watch a film with him at least once a month. But at home, we don’t watch TV, so he doesn’t either. I think ultimately kids will do what you do.
What about sleep?
Our goal is to sleep 11 hours. Nihal is in bed by 7.30 pm come what may and he wakes up at 6.30 am. On weekends and holidays, it may go up till 8.30 pm but never later than that. When someone tells me that their kid slept at 10 or 11, I am speechless. Sleep is so important for children. The growth hormone is released only in deep sleep. Unfortunately, Indian kids are among the most sleep deprived as per a research discussed in Kerry Bajaj's book 'Sleep, baby, sleep'. And, kids usually stay up late because they wait for their father to come home.
In fact, we are very strict about a fourth S too which is a seat belt. Nihal has never travelled without a car seat. I think most people don’t realize how dangerous it is for a small child to be in a car crash without a seat belt or a car seat. The highest fatality and risk of serious injury is to children who are not belted.
Are you a strict parent?
I don’t know if I’m strict, but I just feel that it’s important to be regimented. My mother was very particular. Even now, when she comes to stay with Nihal when I am travelling, his schedule runs like clockwork. The lights are out by 7.25 pm and he is up perfectly on time. He is so happy and chirpy when we leave for school.
Is there any parenting mantra that you follow?
I think the best way to teach our children is by being good role models. We are anyway by default the first role models of our children and we should aim to be the best possible ones in the which we conduct ourselves. I think my strongest habits, including my commitment to fitness, are the ones that I imbibed from my parents. My father wasn’t this overweight man sitting on a chair and asking me to go work out. He was a fit person who exercised every day. When I was around 15, he told me to exercise daily. When I resisted, he issued a parental diktat. Then it became a part of my life, just like it is part of my father’s life. He is 75 now and still cycles daily. Nihal also does what I do. He goes cycling and running with me. He has been cycling without training wheels since before his third birthday. He was with me (watching from a car) when I cycled to Ladakh two years ago.
I also consider it important to be level-headed all the time as children are very observant. I’m aware that he’s watching me at all times so I am conscious of how I react when I have been triggered by someone or something. I know that my son will do what I do, not what I tell him to do.
You are a sustainability advocate and have also co-founded a company that provides seamless charging for electric vehicles across India. These days most children come to school in their personal cars. Do you think schools should make carpools and buses mandatory?
Schools should certainly do that for three reasons. One, it is more affordable and more environment-friendly. Two, it is better for the neighbourhood because people who live near
schools can’t even go in and out of homes because of traffic jams during school pick and drop timings. Three, I think children become exposed to a certain elitism when they see somebody coming in a particular car. I have heard of instances where children going to fancy schools want to be dropped at a distance so that no one can see which car they are coming out of. So, apart from sustainability and traffic management, I think uniformity is extremely important or some will be more equal than others.
Indian parents tend to have this obsession with studies and marks. As a fitness enthusiast, do you think parents should prioritize sports too?
Fitness has indeed been a very big part of my life, but it was not that I only had to be a good athlete. Being in the top two percent in my class was non-negotiable at the same time. It’s not one thing or the other. And, I did manage. I changed 14 schools and I have never not been in the top three of my class, including college, master’s and law school (she obtained a law degree three years ago). So, the desire to excel has to be ingrained. One can’t be casual about grades and then complain when the child reaches Class 10. One has to ingrain a desire to excel and then hopefully everything will happen on its own. But the desire will not get ingrained automatically.
You openly spoke about having difficulty conceiving. Other celebrities too have not shied away from sharing that they had babies via in-vitro fertilisation, surrogacy or adoption. But the aam janta is still very reluctant to discuss fertility issues. They consider it a matter of shame..
Shame is typically associated with the fact that it is always considered the woman’s fault though scientific evidence tells us that the causes of infertility are equally divided between male and female issues. The shame often stems from the fact that at some point you are trying to cover up the infertility in the male. Fertility is a loaded gun against women. I have been very open about the fact that my son was an IVF child. Sometimes, couples suffer from unexplained infertility despite all tests being clear. These things can happen to anyone and for a variety of reasons so why be all secretive about it. I think we as a society spend too much time hiding things that are irrelevant in the big picture. Having a child is all that matters. Kaise hua, kya farak padta hai (how it happened, who cares).
Is Nihal also adventurous like you?
He goes camping. He does what we do. For him, it is not a choice. It is part of his life.
Describe motherhood in one word.
Overwhelming, thankless, exhausting and in small parts, rewarding every now and then.
What’s the most rewarding part?
When the child occasionally says “Mamma, you smell like roses” and “Mamma I love you” — he has been doing that a lot lately — that’s very rewarding. What’s also rewarding is getting to hang out with moms and discussing that we are all in it together; we are not alone. I wish more women would talk about how challenging motherhood is. It shouldn’t be this big lie that it is all going to be amazing and beautiful. It is very challenging. It is very overwhelming and it’s very exhausting and you constantly are plagued with feelings of inadequacy. Ultimately, we are all struggling.
Moms often hesitate to say they are struggling because they feel they will be judged and considered ‘bad mothers’….
Why? They shouldn’t. We should normalize saying that it is challenging; it is difficult and frustrating. This is why a support group of moms is super important. You need moms who tell you "we are dying as well" and then you feel less dead. I have a gang of mom friends. We meet every week. Three of us are working moms. Homemakers have unique challenges and so do working moms. We should normalize talking about the troubles we face.
Dor set the tone for the kind of roles I would do later-Gul Panag
8:37 AM
Juhi Chakraborty (HINDUSTAN TIMES; September 22, 2021)
Some films find their way to actors, that’s how Dor happened to Shreyas Talpade. Reminiscing about his part and collaborating with filmmaker Nagesh Kukunoor after Iqbal (2005), Talpade, who plays the role of Bahuroopiya, says, “It’s been 15 years already? This is unreal!” He further shares, “I consider it my favourite. With Dor, I saw a different Nagesh Kukunoor. I wasn’t the first choice for my character.”
The 46-year-old reveals that the director wanted a senior actor. “I’d formed a rapport with Nagesh after Iqbal and I was like, ‘How can I not be part of the film?’ He wanted me to play one of the husbands of the two female characters. After a week, he offered Bahuroopiya. to me. He said since I do a lot of mimicry, I might as well use it in the film,” the actor says.
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Dor may have been the third film of her career, but for Gul Panag, the film, which released on this day 15 years ago, remains important as it was a proof of her appetite for qualitative cinema. She essayed the part of Zeenat, who takes on the task of saving the life of her husband, who is on trial for murder.
“I didn’t realise that it’s been 15 years already! It’s (the film) a milestone. It set the space I would work in, going forward. Dor was a reaffirmation that my choices were correct,” says Panag.
It wasn’t the usual film that many female actors would do at that time. The 42-year-old says she wanted to steer clear from the run-of-the-mill projects and is proud to have Dor on her resume. “Everybody said that being an ex-Miss India, I should choose conventional parts. But Dor set the tone for the kind of roles I would do later. It’s an incredible film, but there was temptation to do other films too, movies that would make me a recognisable face quickly,” she says.
What kind of role model would I be if I put out only the good parts of my life?-Gul Panag
8:13 AM
Kavita Awaasthi (HINDUSTAN TIMES; July 16, 2021)
“It’s not all joy and achievement... I have bad days... get overwhelmed... feel hopeless... go into a room and have a cry...,” said Gul Panag in an Instagram post. The actor spoke about how humbled she felt for being an inspiration to many.
What set the post in motion was her previous post, about chasing goals. She explains, “I’d spoken about my private pilot’s license and people said that, ‘you can do everything’, ‘you are such an inspiration’, so on. A lot of times when you are down, you want people to know that it is possible to be goal-oriented yet have moments of self-doubt. It is not all highs as there are lows in life too. We have started propagating a culture where people curate their Instagram carefully as most influencers don’t post a picture which isn’t clicked by a professional. We are creating a bubble, projecting an image which is not normal. What expectations are we setting for people? How are you influencing people to be a better version of themselves?”
The 44-year-old says most days are good as she doesn’t have as many lows as others, she feels a responsibility to tell people that it is okay to be a particular way. She elaborates, “People talk about how fit I am but I’ve shared pics when I’ve gained weight. I can’t just put out the most perfect version of myself. What kind of role model would I be if I put out only the good parts of my life? It is sad that people who are supremely fit, don’t admit what a battle it is to be that way. It is not effortless!”
For Panag, it’s important to keep her social media handles authentic and not bother with what others are posting. “Even if it means low followers, I won’t put up what others do. If I can’t be authentic, I don’t want to be on social media.”
I am driving electric car since 6 years; I’m currently installing solar devices across all my homes-Gul Panag
8:01 AM
Titas Chowdhury (HINDUSTAN TIMES; April 22, 2021)
Over the years, Gul Panag has emerged as an eco-warrier and she believes that it is her duty to set a precedent to reduce carbon footprints by opting for renewable energy resources. “I switched to driving an electric car six years ago as my primary vehicle of local commute. I’m currently installing solar devices across all my homes. Our home in Fatehgarh Sahib, Punjab, was one of the first to be grid tied in the state as part of a pilot project,” she shares.
Panag feels that making environment preservation a part of the mainstream discourse is the need of the hour: “It’s not a part of the mainstream narrative because there’s no immediate threat to our life and it’s not sensational enough for the media to cover. As a result, the government doesn’t do much either. The outcome is deliberate circumvention of environmental issues.”
This Earth Day, the actor emphasises on instilling values about a sustainable future in children. She says, “It needs to be the core of their learning and reinforced repeatedly. It’s difficult to change the attitude of indifference in adults but with children, we can mould their attitudes. Today, I’ll introduce my three-year-old son, Nihal, to tree plantation as his initiation to caring for the environment.”
A few years back, Panag became a part of the Col Shamsher Singh Foundation which addresses issues like effective employment of natural energy resources along with co-founding a company ‘that provides electric charging infrastructure’. “The most important role any public figure can play is advocacy. I use every available platform to speak up on environmental issues, among other things,” the Dor (2006) actor concludes.
Gul Panag hopes protesting farmers can celebrate Lohri with families
3:34 PM
Shreya Mukherjee (HINDUSTAN TIMES; January 13, 2021)
After a long time, actor Gul Panag will be spending Lohri with her parents in her village Mahadian, Punjab. That this is going to be her three-year-old son Nihal’s first Lohri in Punjab with grandparents makes the celebration special.
“Since I’m mostly in Mumbai, celebrating Lohri with my parents had become a rarity. After many years, I’m hoping to relive those earlier days once again,” she says.
“As we go around the fire and throw sesame seeds into it, we usually say ‘Ishar aaye, dalidar jaye…’, meaning, leave the laziness behind because winter is ending and let’s get back to work with new vigour. Good thing about being in Delhi is that my parents’ house in Punjab isn’t far, so I’m able to meet them more often,” says the Pataal Lok actor, who has been in Delhi since the beginning of the farmer’s protest.
She was among the many Bollywood celebrities who extended support to farmers protesting against the Centre’s three farm bills.
Considering Lohri is an important festival for farmers in Punjab and Haryana, Panag adds, “They’re celebrating any which way, lighting fire every day to keep warm. Kabse hi to chal rahi hai unki Lohri. Since the protest is happening in Haryana, the whole thing is yeh Punjab ka protest hai. But you’ve to go on the ground to see kitne alag alag log shaamil hai. I’ve been there, I know.”
Hoping that the farmers are able to be with their family for Lohri, Panag says everything depends on “what decision the Government” takes. “They haven’t left their families out of choice. They would rather be home than here,” she adds.
Ending on a positive note, Panag says, “Let’s leave the past behind and look towards a new future with hope.”
A commercial pilot has a far greater responsibility than a fighter pilot-Gul Panag
7:31 PM
Juhi Chakraborty (HINDUSTAN TIMES; August 10, 2020)
A certified pilot herself and married to commercial pilot Rishi Attari, actor Gul Panag is deeply affected by the news of the plane crash at Kerala’s Kozhikode airport on Friday evening.
“It is depressing and I am deeply disturbed. I am intimately aware of the level of responsibility the job carries. The ability to safeguard the lives of 200 people with every little decision you make is a huge responsibility,” she shares.
Panag shares that as a pilot, she has taken a pledge to not comment on anything speculative at this moment, but she says, “Devastated as we are, we must all wait, and as part of the aviation fraternity, I wouldn’t like to speculate.”
The 41-year-old urges people to not jump to conclusions. “Ultimately, the pilot is doing the best he can do at that moment. We must keep that in mind before passing a judgement, which is easy for aviation enthusiasts to do,” the actor cautions.
Also, batting for a fair outcome, Panag says that there should be a thorough and just investigation, so that everyone learns the cause behind the incident.
“Whether it is holding people responsible for poorly marked lights on the runway or other stuff, the investigations should be made public. If there was an infrastructural lapse, people responsible should be crucified,” she adds.
Praising Wing Commander Deepak Vasant Sathe, the captain of the ill-fated aircraft, the actor says, “At some levels, the responsibility a commercial pilot carries is far greater than a fighter pilot. Wing Commander Sathe’s service record is decorated and whatever the findings may be, he is already a hero,” she concludes.
I found Sara one-dimensional in the first four episodes of Paatal Lok-Niharika Lyra Dutt
8:27 AM
Praised for her journalist act in Paatal Lok, Niharika Lyra Dutt on lending gravitas to her role in a male-driven narrative
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; June 2, 2020)
What happens to a rank outsider who dabbles in theatre for a living and doesn't have a Godfather in the industry? In 2020, when OTT platforms have democratised the game, you land a prominent role in a tentpole series. Niharika Lyra Dutt, who played the no-nonsense journalist Sara in Paatal Lok, shone in the episodes, standing tall in a world of morally corrupt men. "It's a gutsy story told with great precision. I played her with conviction because I align with her ideologically. Sudip Sharma [creator] wanted her to be the antithesis to Sanjeev Mehra — she mirrors what he probably was when he was younger, but his idealism has eroded over the years. She keeps poking her nose into things and feels the need to be on the right side of the moral spectrum," says Dutt.
Sara is, in fact, one of the few characters whose name and personality remains largely unchanged from the thriller's original source material, The Story of my Assassins. "Initially, I didn't know about the book. When I found out, I asked Sudip if I should read it. He advised against it because the adaptation was differently built."
A pointed criticism against the show is that its female characters aren't as fleshed out as its male counterparts. Did she find it problematic? "I found Sara one-dimensional in the first four episodes. But when I read it in totality, it worked for me. This show is set in a man's world where the women are trying to create a space for themselves. I liked Dolly's character who is married to a man who is stifling her. I wanted more of Cheeni too. In the story about how people become criminals, the women still shine. In the scene where Renu [Gul Panag] slaps Hathiram [Jaideep Ahlawat's character], she ensures she puts him in his place. In this season, it would have been difficult to bring in the women's stories. We needed to be loyal to the larger narrative."
Pataal Lok will make you cultivate some empathy for the criminal-Neeraj Kabi
8:35 AM
Are criminals justified in their actions? That could be the question you will ask after you catch an episode of Pataal Lok, says the cast
Aastha Atray Banan (MID-DAY; May 17, 2020)
If you go by the premise of Pataal Lok, which premiered on Amazon Prime last week, it would seem that heaven, earth and hell, co-exist in one place. And maybe the people belonging to these "levels" are innately the same.The new web series, directed by Sudip Sharma, questions the idea of the upper, middle and lower class, and the notions we harbour about members of each. As actor Neeraj Kabi, also seen in Talvar and Ship Of Theseus, says, "The show will make you cultivate some empathy for the criminal." It follows the story of Inspector Hathi Ram Chaudhary, played by Jaideep Ahlawat, who earned acclaim for his role in Gangs of Wasseypur. Here, he is a washed-out Delhi cop who lands the case of a lifetime when four suspects are nabbed in the assassination attempt of a prime time journalist, played by Kabi. Actor Gul Panag, last seen in Bypass Road, plays Hathi Ram's wife.
The show is said to be loosely based on The Story Of My Assassins by the controversial senior journalist Tarun Tejpal.
We spoke to Ahlawat, Kabi and Gul about the realisations the show led them to.
Edited excerpts from the interview.
What were your first reactions to the story and concept— of having all the three levels exist on the same level?
Gul: For me, I was finally getting a part that was not urban. I was also working with a stellar cast. As somebody who is a keen observer of writing trends, the subtext, and the social and economic divide explored in this script, we hadn't seen that before. It was a unique story.
Neeraj: It was very interesting how the characters were sketched. Each character has his or her own space, and place to exist, and they all co-exist. That appealed to me. It also explores the nuances of human psyche, and how every human, good or bad, has an innately soft side. Just like the four suspects.
Jaideep: For me, it was the character of Hathi Ram. He is a vulnerable person, who is now stuck. He has to prove he is not a failure, and is trying to find his space. The story is about what's inside all of the characters, not their outer circumstances.
Ultimately it's a show about class—upper, middle and lower. How do you think it handles the ideas we have about socio-economic strata?
Jaideep: The distinctions we have made, we realise, they are not true. The lines get blurred as we find out the truth.
Neeraj: All the three classes exist because of the other, and can't do without each other. I think we may have these questions about the middle class being a working class, and the lower class being the criminals, and the upper class being the good people. I think "who is the criminal?" will undergo a change.
Gul: I think we will figure what is innate human nature, and that everyone has the some shade of grey mostly.
In the middle of this is also a journalist, and the media, which has been maligned in recent years, but also our link to the truth.
Jaideep: The person who is supposed to be telling us the truth, is he really?
Gul: The media needs to question the establishment, otherwise it is not doing its job. The problem is if a new channel is either pro or anti establishment, it starts building a narrative accordingly. So the story's facts may be right, but the spin on it is what matters. That's the kind of issue the show also handles.
Jaideep, since you play a cop, what do you think of their place in society, or the kind of life they lead?
Jaideep: A policeman is tied to the system, and can't do anything alone. They have to go through a system and they are lost in red tape. So this cop is trying to prove himself, and has familial concerns too.
Coming from sanitised backgrounds, and playing the characters that you do, what realisations have you encountered about India while doing the show?
Neeraj: I think, you will empathise with the criminals. You will see that crime originates in the middle and upper class, and the lower class might only be executing it.
Gul: The backstory of the assassins is key. There is a history of oppression — class and caste. They are people who when pushed against a wall, will react. Their journey pushes them over the edge. Are we making excuses for them? It will raise some uncomfortable questions.
This is a new war that has unleashed a new kind of an enemy-Gul Panag
8:29 AM
Radhika Bhirani (HINDUSTAN TIMES; March 31, 2020)
As a person proud of her family’s army background, Gul Panag understands that “duty is above everything else”. So even as Coronavirus began spreading across the world and her husband Rishi Attari, a commercial pilot, had to fly planes from one place to another ensuring people reach their homes, she was worried, but knew “what’s got to be done, got to be done”.
Panag, who is balancing home, fitness and mommy duties, heaved a sigh of relief when her husband returned home after the authorities shut down the domestic airspace on March 24, as her “biggest fear” was he’ll be stuck somewhere else and she’ll see him only after 21 days.
“We (my husband and I) come from families which had three generations in the armed forces, so we understand that duty is above everything else. Earlier, the frontiers were manned by soldiers. Today, we have new frontiers, and new custodians of our security and those are the police, those who have to fly planes or drive essential services that cater to the basic transport, medics, chemists, grocery store owners, garbage collectors... these are our new soldiers,” says the 41-year-old.
“This is a new war that has unleashed a new kind of an enemy and made us realise the value of a different kind of soldier,” she asserts.
The magnitude of the crisis, Panag feels, makes one understand that “difficult times call for very difficult measures”. So she salutes the government’s courage for taking an “unprecedented and extremely decisive step” of a complete lockdown.
All in all, Panag is confident this phase will change people “fundamentally”, especially in terms of empathy and self-sufficiency.
“It’ll make you realise you can do everything... When I first set up my house as a 20-year-old in Delhi, after winning Miss India (in 1999), I used to do jhaadu, pocha... I used to wash clothes without a washing machine, and cook. With time, I had a cleaning person, cook, then a washing machine,” she recounts, sharing how she now feels that life is coming a full circle for her a good 21 years later.
I’m not going out there canvasing for work-Gul Panag
8:14 AM
Titas Chowdhury (HINDUSTAN TIMES; March 18, 2020)
Gul Panag is elated and satisfied with the way her career has shaped over the past few months. The actor, who was seen in a couple of films and a bunch of web shows, feels fortunate that good roles have been coming her way even though she has never “gone around looking” for work. “It’s fantastic that people are reaching out to me to play such diverse parts and it’s extremely flattering. I don’t do networking and socialising. I’m not going out there searching and canvasing for work. The work that I’ve done in the last ten months is more than the entire work I’ve done since my first film (Dhoop) in 2003,” she says.
Giving us a glimpse into the last ten months of her career, she elaborates, “It’s extremely gratifying for me that there are so many different kinds of work out there. I played a coach in Student Of The Year 2, a glamorous and modern antagonist in Bypass Road (both 2019), a small supporting part of an army officer in The Family Man that received massive appreciation, a gangster in Rangbaaz Phir Se and a strong woman in Pawan & Pooja. The range of parts is phenomenal and I got the opportunity to lead such different lives in the last ten months.”
The Dor (2006) actor says that it’s her acting career that has enabled her to branch out and don multiple hats. “Acting is just one of the things that I do. I’m not saying that I’m a part-time actor. Acting is very important to me, as my acting career is an enabler for all the other things that I do and I can’t run away from that. I could be an entrepreneur and connect with people because they know me as an actor. As a producer, I’m being able to do projects because of my acting career,” she signs off.
This has been the biggest year of my working career-Gul Panag
8:22 AM
Dhaval Mehta (DNA; October 6, 2019)
Gul Panag’s entry in Bollywood may not have been essentially out of the ordinary, considering models mostly chose to join the industry back then. However, the actress who had made her debut with Dhoop in 2003, has kept things interesting along with a career in films. She is an entrepreneur, a car racing enthusiast, an avid biker and a political leader among other things.
Now, not only has she made a foray into the web space with The Family Man but she’s also chuffed about the great reviews the Manoj Bajpayee-starrer spy drama has garnered. Here, Gul talks about the current phase of her life, attitude of the industry towards married actresses and more.
You must be thrilled at the tremendous success of The Family Man...
It is extremely exciting to be part of the project that has been appreciated by the audiences as well as critics. People have been binge-watching it from day one and it is a delightful feeling.
What kind of prep did you do while playing the role of an intelligence officer?
I come from an armed forces background and my father (Lt Gen Harcharanjit Singh Panag) was also in the Army. So, it is something that I’ve been exposed to all my life. In terms of speaking and mannerisms, it came naturally to me. To be honest, this is one character that required least amount of preparation.
You’ve been around for 16 years. Has it been a conscious decision to do fewer films in recent times?
Yes and no. I was clear I wanted to do work that was gratifying for me. Over the last four to five years, I have been focussing on making my business venture robust. The film industry is an uncertain profession.
Do you feel you have underachieved as an actress?
Honestly, I don’t see it that way. Films are one part of my life and I love other things besides them. I also acknowledge that movies are an enabler because they allow me to do other things that I want to do. It is a symbiotic relationship between my career as an actor and an entrepreneur.
Has the industry also opened up about its perspective towards married actresses?
It has changed. One must give due credit to actresses like Deepika (Padukone), Anushka (Sharma), Kareena (Kapoor Khan), who have taken the plunge of getting married at the peak of their careers. In the past, heroines delayed marriage and motherhood as that impacted their work. Mainstream actresses have now set a bar for family goals. I am glad that change is happening. This has been the biggest year of my working career and that too, after becoming a mom to Nihal.
How has motherhood changed you?
It is a life-changing experience and there are no two ways about it. It changes your mindset and how much you sleep, which is very little (laughs). You can only be prepared for motherhood when you have the opportunity of experiencing it. It is a juggling act but the emphasis on planning is far greater.
What kind of roles excite you today?
I don’t think what thrills you at one particular time may be exciting anymore. I wouldn’t have been excited to play a fitness coach at 25 than at the age of 40 for Student Of The Year 2. It was an incredible feeling.
What else is in your kitty?
I am working on a web series, Pavan Pooja, with Sharman Joshi, which is directed by Shaad Ali. I am also doing Rangbaaz with Jimmy Sheirgill and Bypass Road with Neil Nitin Mukesh.
Nandita Das is crusading against the colour bias with Ali Fazal, Radhika Apte, Konkona Sen Sharma
8:01 AM
Nandita Das is celebrating the many shades of skin colour in India with a two-minute anthem
Hiren Kotwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 11, 2019)
Six years after she took a stand against the prevalent colour bias in Indian society, Nandita Das is reinventing her message. The actress-filmmaker recently shot a two-minute anthem called ‘India’s Got Colour’ with Ali Fazal, Radhika Apte, Konkona Sen Sharma, Gul Panag, Divya Dutta, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Tillotama Shome, Sayani Gupta and Suchitra Pillai, among others. The idea is to ensure that words like ‘fair, ‘dark’ and ‘beautiful’ are not reinforced. Nandita, who is collaborating with director Mahesh Mathai, recalls young women sharing stories of discrimination and how the ‘Dark is Beautiful’ campaign gave them strength to combat it. “The idea now is to change the narrative to a more holistic celebration of skin colour in India. After all, we are 1.3 billion people, and have that many shades of skin tones!” she asserts.Pointing out that glorification of fair skin in films reflects the bias of the society, Nandita says, “In subtle as well as blatant ways, we often hear things like, ‘uska rang saaf hai,’ as if dark skin is dirty. In Bollywood, if you are dark, you are right for the roles of village women, slum dwellers etc. but an affluent, urban character must always be fair-faced. I was often told by the make-up man that I need not worry as he was an expert in making people look fair. I’ve even had directors and camerapersons telling me that it would be good if I made my skin lighter as I was playing an educated upper class woman!”
Ask her how Mahesh came onboard the project and Nandita reveals that the idea was to make the project as collaborative as possible. “Mahesh and I were on a panel on colourism a few years ago, and I could see that he shares my passion,” she avers.
Divya reveals that while they are addressing a serious issue, the team had a blast while at work. “It seemed like we were back in school, mugging our lines and rehearsing together. It was fun meeting friends and doing something that should be spoken about together,” she informs.
Even as work on the post-production is currently on, Nandita is overwhelmed by the unconditional support she has received so far. “All the key crew members have worked on the anthem pro bono. It is a fun song that calls out the rampant discrimination that we see all around us. It was great to know that so many people feel strongly about the issue and were happy to work for free,” she signs off.
People who go against women should be shamed on social media-Kangana Ranaut
8:19 AM
Abhimanyu Mathur (BOMBAY TIMES; September 15, 2018)
On a recent visit to Delhi, Kangana Ranaut joined some leading women’s rights advocates in an event that celebrated the power of women. Kangana, along with Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal, and social worker Shaina NC, and Gul Panag, took part in a roundtable discussion on how women can strike a balance while wearing different hats as part of the Xin Philanthropy Conference. The half-hour session saw participants share their ideas of feminism and draw from their personal experiences of working for women’s rights.
Beginning the session, Kangana said, “It is so shameful that we still have to fight for things like the right to wear what we want or simply the right to go out at the time we want to, without being judged. When you have to fight for what is obvious, it means the society is in a bad shape.” Talking about feminism, the actress added that people who act against women and the idea of feminism are the ones who deserve to be trolled on social media. Kangana said, “Most people misunderstand feminism. Feminism is an idea. But the world is not fair. You can’t expect that you will be readily given your rights and if something is right, it will come to you. That’s not how the world functions. And this is something that we need to agree on and fight for. And anybody who goes against it is someone who needs to be shamed. That is the kind of person you need to shame on social media, not the ones who are actively working for feminism.”
Swati Maliwal said that most people feel they can get away with what they say and do against women because there is no fear of repercussions. She said, “People have come to believe they can do whatever they want to a woman and the system can’t harm them.”
Actress Gul Panag, who was moderating the session, added, “Nothing will change unless women support other women. We tend to run other women down. That’s the default setting, that we don’t empower each other enough and we compete, which is a patriarchal hangover. Questioning the status quo is the first responsibility of our generation.”
As the conversation moved to the remarks and comments women face in the public sphere, Shaina NC said, “It was shocking. Women in India are sometimes viewed only as objects and used as items. It’s time we demystify this kind of an image of women and realise that on one hand, we talk about Saraswati, Durga, Lakshmi and worship women, and on the other hand, we just go out and abuse them. It’s a fight against a regressive, chauvinistic mindset.”
Gul Panag to play antagonist in Naman Nitin Mukesh's directorial debut
2:56 PM
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 7, 2018)
Mirror (August 31) had earlier reported that Gul Panag
has joined the cast of Punit Malhotra’s campus romance,
Student Of The Year 2, as sports coach to the new ‘students’, Tiger Shroff, Ananya Panday and Tara Sutaria. We have now learnt that the actress has been roped in to play the antagonist in Naman Nitin Mukesh’s debut directorial that features his brother Neil Nitin Mukesh in the lead. Neil is also producing the film with Madan Paliwal.
“This is the first time ever that I’m venturing into the grey shade spectrum. I was always apprehensive about playing a part that required me to look much older than I am, but the script just drew me in,” confirms Gul, whose character works in the fashion industry.
Her director adds that making Gul who has a happy, bubbly vibe, play a negative role will be interesting. “We wanted someone who has never dabbled in this space before and couldn’t think of anyone better than Gul for the part. You start out seeing this innocent girl and then, in the same scene, she will do a U-turn. This is a fresh pairing for Neil bhaiya and Gul too and I can’t wait for the audience to see their chemistry,” says Naman who is neck-deep in prep.
Shooting starts in Alibaug from September 16, with the actress and former pageant queen joining them by the month-end.
Gul Panag to play sports coach in Student Of The Year 2
8:49 AM
Actress in Punit Malhotra-directed SOTY 2, which marks debuts of Ananya Panday and Tara Sutaria
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 31, 2018)
Gul Panag recently sprung a surprise (Mirror, August 2) by revealing that she and her husband Rishi Attari became parents to baby boy, Nihal, six months ago. Now, Mirror has learnt that the actress and former pageant queen joined the cast of Punit Malhotra’s campus romance, Student Of The Year 2, three months after giving birth. In the Karan Johar production which marks the acting debuts of Chunky Panday’s daughter Ananya and TV actress Tara Sutaria opposite Tiger Shroff, Gul plays a sports coach, a character essayed by Ronit Roy in the franchise’s first instalment. Samir Soni has stepped into Rishi Kapoor’s shoes as the school principal in the much-anticipated sequel which opens on May 10.
A source from the sets reveals,“The team was looking for an extremely fit actress who was comfortable riding a bike and could play a sports coach to the new ‘students’. Gul quickly lost weight after her delivery and began shooting in May, joining the team during the film’s Mussoorie schedule and in Dehradun, where it was shot at FRI (Forest Research Institite) which was converted into Saint Teresa school for the shoot.”
In the film, Gul has a sporty look which, keeping her character in mind, is dominated by shorts and tights. The SOTY 2 shoot will wrap up by September-end. The team will be travelling to Dehradun and Mussoorie again after completing the ongoing patchwork in Mumbai. Shooting for the film kicked off in April.
Gul was last seen in the Nana Patekar and Ashutosh Rana-starrer, Ab Tak Chhappan 2, in 2015, and the Punjabi comedy-thriller Ambarsariya, featuring Diljit Dosanjh and Navneet Kaur Dhillon, in 2016.
I’m charmed by Nihal's gurgles and giggles-Gul Panag
7:50 AM
Gul Panag on welcoming son Nihal six months ago and why she and husband Rishi Attari decided to do it amid complete secrecy
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 2, 2018)
Actress and former pageant queen Gul Panag, 39, who had married pilot beau Rishi Attari in 2011, became a mom six months ago and has successfully managed to evade the media glare. Now ready to break the happy news to the world, Gul spoke to Mirror about the joys of motherhood, among other things. Excerpts:
How did you manage to keep your pregnancy a secret?
Rishi and I have always valued our privacy. Becoming parents is a special experience and we decided that we’d like to go through it without the distraction of public attention. Family and close friends knew about Nihal but we refrained from posting anything on the social media. He is almost six months old and it has been a roller coaster ride! I’m charmed by his gurgles and giggles even if it is a bit of a struggle with erratic sleep and feeding schedules. Life and goals are taking shape parallelly, with a little more coordination between Rishi and me to include Nihal.
How did you zero in on the name?
We had a list of names from everyone and everywhere. Nihal means joy, success and victory that comes with the blessings of God. Rishi and I believe that leading principled, good lives leads to true and lasting success so the name resonated with us.
How did you prepare for the baby?
Nothing prepares you for a baby but I’m grateful to my cousin Simran who’s been like a fairy godmother and guided me. We’re learning as parents and I think we’ll continue to do so till we’re old and grey.
What was it like returning to your fitness regime post pregnancy?
Nihal was born prematurely so I didn’t put on too much weight. Even through the pregnancy, I took care to eat healthy and have always been very active, so it was easy to get back to my workouts and shed the extra kilos.
What would be your advice to women preparing for motherhood in their 30s?
I think having a baby is a very significant step in life, and like marriage, you should think it through carefully before committing to it. Have children when you are ready to welcome them and can raise them happily and responsibly, not when society says you must.
Image: Gul Panag receives her licence to fly
7:53 AM
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 15, 2017)
After clearing written tests and a day-check ride a few months ago, actress and adventure junkie Gul Panag recently received her pilot’s licence. “There are two parts of the exam, one is written and then you are tested on the aircraft with your instructor, the final check. Then, you submit documents, medical papers, exam results, flight radio operators license and your log book where number of hours on flight are written. That got issued a couple of weeks back. I try and fly every month. Every Sunday, I fly on the simulator for two-three hours because it keeps me up to speed so I don’t need to get my groove back each time on a real plane. A lot of people would have never seen what an aviation license looks like so I shared it on social media,” Gul says.
Explain the process further, Gul says, “The DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) requirement is flying 40 hours, of which 20 have to be solo and 10 cross country. I broke mine into three-four installments. I’m getting together with like-minded friends who are pursuing PPL to buy our own plane. The plan is to do an around-the-world flight in a single engine aircraft.”
Gul plans to get certified to fly more kinds of planes. “I have to clear an exam for every plane I want to be rated on and there is a DGCA paper one needs to clear and a check on an aircraft to be rated. The plane I’m rated to fly currently is Cessna 172 Thielert, a variation of the Cessna 172,” she signs off.
Gul Panag test-drives a racing car in Spain
7:44 AM
The electric car will be used in the next Formula E season
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 16, 2017)
Actress, pilot and auto enthusiast Gul Panag has now become the first Indian woman to drive a Formula E racing car. She drove Mahindra Racing’s M4Electro at the Circuit de Calafat in Catalonia, Spain, on April 26. Recalling the experience, Gul who’s just returned to the country, told Mirror, “I spent two days in Barcelona at the Mahindra development facility, the first in a simulator. A simulator to the layperson looks like a video game on a big screen but it’s actually a must-have for professionals. As a pilot, I can’t fly a plane every day and if I don’t fly for 20 days I could get rusty. So, I fly the simulator in my office every Sunday. This simulator helped me understand the car I’d be driving. Swedish racing driver Felix Rosenqvist walked me through it.”
The next day she was at the Calafat track on the outskirts of Barcelona testing a car which went from 0-100 kms in three seconds. “It’s a privilege to feel that power. The Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) allows cars to be tested only 15 days in a year. All others tests are on the simulator. I was lucky to be on the track on one of these 15 days,” she exulted.
The actress has been driving an electric car for two years now and believes the racing track will go fully electric by 2030. The formula E race brings the motorsport and the future together and currently in its third season, it’s the latest addition to the FIA calendar. “The car that I drove is next season’s race car. I’ve been following Formula E since its inception and every development on the track will soon find its way into street electric cars. Getting my hands on this car was a dream come true,” she admitted.
Despite being a beauty pageant winner, Gul has never restricted her interests to things traditionally girly. Growing up, she wondered why boys read auto magazines and girls just fashion magazines. Curious, she borrowed one from a classmate when she was around 16 and was instantly hooked. “That doesn’t mean I don’t read fashion magazines. I was just subconsciously rebelling against social conditioning,” she maintains.
Meet Gul Panag, the pilot: Actress clears her final test; waiting for her private flying licence
7:40 AM
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 16, 2016)
Gul Panag who had been taking flying lessons since some time is now a licensed pilot after she cleared her final test on Monday — a ‘day check ride’ in the presence of instructor Captain Shakti Singh at the Chimes Aviation Academy in Sagar, Madhya Pradesh. The licence will be issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation in a few weeks.
“I used to pass the flying academy in Patiala every day on my way to college. I wanted to be a part of it as a hobby but the course was expensive and I didn’t want to burden my parents. When I shared the idea with my husband, Rishi Attari, who is a commercial pilot he encouraged me to fulfil my dream,” says the actress who enrolled in a Patiala flying academy two years ago but her classes were interrupted as she got busy with Mandeep Kumar’s Punjabi comedy-thriller Ambarsariya.
She was planning to fly to the US to complete the mandatory hours of lessons when she found out about the Chimes Academy in Madhya Pradesh and enrolled there instead in October last year.
She went on to clear the three written tests, two in April and one in July this year, with flying colours. “The tests were difficult but I had worked really hard. Rishi was very supportive and helped me with the exams and so did the ground instructor at the academy,” Gul says, recalling how nervous she was when asked to fly her Cessna 172 solo late last year. “I didn’t think I was ready then but my instructor showed faith in me which gave me a lot of confidence. I had a blast doing it and consider it one of the best moments of my life,” she beams.
Next up on her agenda is taking her husband for a ride once she’s got the licence. “We would fly to Khajuraho or Jabalpur sometime next year. I am very excited,” Gul exults, admitting that Tom Cruise-starrer Top Gun is her favourite film but not because of it’s premise but because she find the actor “hot”. And would she want to work in a Hindi remake if there ever was one? “As a producer I would want it to be commercially viable and would prefer casting Deepika Padukone or Katrina Kaif over me,” the dimpled beauty signs off with a laugh.
Censor board clips wings of Udta Punjab; makers to move High Court
8:14 AM
Remove Punjab From Title, Makers Told
Rohan Dua (THE TIMES OF INDIA; June 7, 2016)
A huge political battle has
broken out between SAD-BJP alliance government and the opposition after
the Central Board for Film Certification (CBFC) on Monday asked the
producers to drop 'Punjab' from the title of the film 'Udta Punjab'.
This is the second time that the film has left the board queasy. On May
26 it had objected the excessive use of profanities in the film and
sought 89 cuts to give it a 'U/A' certificate.
While CBFC member Ashoke Pandit criticised his own colleagues for “embarking on dangerous territory of hemming creative freedom“, AAP and Congress slammed the government for being behind the “censorship move“. With assembly elections in January 2017 in Punjab and drugs being an extremely sensitive political subject, politicians seem divided on the impact the film can have on the polls. The film's producer Anurag Kashyap said in Mumbai that “if any film is changed slightly, it is Qatl-e-Aam of it. No filmmaker wants to have cuts and leave it at that.“
“The Akali Dal knows the movie with big stars like Shahid and Kareena will put drugs in the centre stage of the political debate ahead of polls. So first, they tried to politely use censorship by pressurising the filmmakers to remove abuses from the script and then this... We will take this issue to Parliament and not allow this move,“ said Partap Bajwa, Congress Rajya Sabha MP and former state party chief.
SAD, however, maintained that it would welcome the movie screening as long as the Punjabi community was not defamed. “We have got no control over such decisions. As we said in the past, we will continue to welcome this movie as long as no party or the Punjab community is slammed. If the film is about a societal issue, only then we welcome it,“ said SAD MLA Virsa Singh Valtoha from Amritsar.
Pandit, who was not part of the film's screening team, said the film-makers have no option but to first approach the Film Certificate Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) and then the SC. “I don't know whether there is political pressure behind this decision, but I can say it's a rank undemocratic move by the review committee. Haven't we had movies like 'Bombay' and 'Mission Kashmir' before? Someone needs to stand up against the symptomatic harassment and attempts to curb freedom of expression,“ said Pandit.
“It's very absurd that the trailer of the film was cleared for release by the censors but not the film. This is a joke and I want to know what Shyam Benegal has to say and all the promises that were made. If the state government or a political party has a problem, let them go to the court. Why should a statutory board get into this? How can you question the integrity of a serious issue based film instead of sorting the drug problem in Punjab?“ he asked.
Actor and AAP worker Gul Panag, who belongs to Punjab, said that it was strange that CBFC was trying to censor things that are already in public domain. “Besides creative freedom should never be impinged, when its delivering a social message,“ said Panag.
---------------------------
MUMBAI MIRROR (June 7, 2016)
While CBFC member Ashoke Pandit criticised his own colleagues for “embarking on dangerous territory of hemming creative freedom“, AAP and Congress slammed the government for being behind the “censorship move“. With assembly elections in January 2017 in Punjab and drugs being an extremely sensitive political subject, politicians seem divided on the impact the film can have on the polls. The film's producer Anurag Kashyap said in Mumbai that “if any film is changed slightly, it is Qatl-e-Aam of it. No filmmaker wants to have cuts and leave it at that.“
“The Akali Dal knows the movie with big stars like Shahid and Kareena will put drugs in the centre stage of the political debate ahead of polls. So first, they tried to politely use censorship by pressurising the filmmakers to remove abuses from the script and then this... We will take this issue to Parliament and not allow this move,“ said Partap Bajwa, Congress Rajya Sabha MP and former state party chief.
SAD, however, maintained that it would welcome the movie screening as long as the Punjabi community was not defamed. “We have got no control over such decisions. As we said in the past, we will continue to welcome this movie as long as no party or the Punjab community is slammed. If the film is about a societal issue, only then we welcome it,“ said SAD MLA Virsa Singh Valtoha from Amritsar.
Pandit, who was not part of the film's screening team, said the film-makers have no option but to first approach the Film Certificate Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) and then the SC. “I don't know whether there is political pressure behind this decision, but I can say it's a rank undemocratic move by the review committee. Haven't we had movies like 'Bombay' and 'Mission Kashmir' before? Someone needs to stand up against the symptomatic harassment and attempts to curb freedom of expression,“ said Pandit.
“It's very absurd that the trailer of the film was cleared for release by the censors but not the film. This is a joke and I want to know what Shyam Benegal has to say and all the promises that were made. If the state government or a political party has a problem, let them go to the court. Why should a statutory board get into this? How can you question the integrity of a serious issue based film instead of sorting the drug problem in Punjab?“ he asked.
Actor and AAP worker Gul Panag, who belongs to Punjab, said that it was strange that CBFC was trying to censor things that are already in public domain. “Besides creative freedom should never be impinged, when its delivering a social message,“ said Panag.
---------------------------
MUMBAI MIRROR (June 7, 2016)
Could this be the last time
we call Abhishek Chaubey's widely talked about drug-drama by its
original title, Udta Punjab? After the film was referred to the Revising
Committee that upheld the Censor Board's recommendation of 89 cuts on
Friday because of “excessive swearing and extreme visuals", adding that
“Punjab“ be dropped from the title and the story be set in a fictional
land instead, the makers have decided to put their foot down and fight
it out in the High Court.
“It is all hearsay. We haven't received an official letter from either the Revising Committee or the I&B Ministry, whom we have already apprised of the situation. We will release the film on the original date, June 17. This is something we have stood by since the beginning,“ one of the film's producers informed Mirror. The review screening, after which it was also suggested that apart from the title, all mentions of the state be removed from the film, was reportedly presided over by Censor Board of Film Certification chief Pahlaj Nihalani.
Meanwhile, Punjab's ruling party Akali Dal, led by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his son, Sukhbir Badal, have raised strong objections to the film's title and narrative. The state government is routinely targeted by Congress and Aam Aadmi Party for the growing drug menace in the region. The opposition parties have made it clear that it will also be the top issue in their election campaign. The movie features Kareena Kapoor Khan, Shahid Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Diljit Dosanjh and is produced by Phantom Films and Ekta Kapoor-led Balaji Films.
A source from within the Censor Board informed, “Shyam Benegal's committee report also says the same thing: controversial-gory plotlines should either be released with an 'A' certificate with no cuts, or be banned entirely because cinema does not deserve to be scissored so the makers may have to succumb to pressure in a bid to salvage their film.“
Before the film's team met on Monday evening to plan their next move, reports claimed that they had already decided to knock off “Punjab“ from the title as well as from certain portions from the film.
---------------------------
Reports that the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal might have asked makers of Udta Punjab to drop Punjab from the title spark angry as well as hilarious reactions from netizens
MID-DAY (June 7, 2016)
After being asked to effect nearly 40 cuts in Udta Punjab, the makers had knocked on the doors of the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) hoping for some respite. However, amidst reports that the tribunal has suggested that ‘Punjab’ be dropped from the film’s title, social media went berserk with reactions that ranged from angry to hilarious. While the makers are tightlipped about any such development, sources close to the film say that they are awaiting an official communication regarding the same. The film deals with rampant drug abuse in the northern state.
The film starring Shahid Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Diljit Dosanjh was slated to hit theatres on June 17. However, given the censor issues, the release date is likely to be delayed by two weeks or perhaps, more. Interestingly, Censor Board member Ashoke Pandit posted a series of tweets that read, “I as a filmmaker & a citizen of this country condemn d act of asking the producers 2 remove d word ‘Punjab’ from the film. I question the intelligence of the committee which has given this judgement of removing the word ‘Punjab’ from #UdtaPunjab. I as a #CBFC member appeal to the #Chairman to take a call as a filmmaker & protect the FOE of a filmmaker (sic).”
Bollywood folk also joined the debate on Twitter and slammed the alleged decision to change the title. The sarcasm in Ram Gopal Varma’s post was hard to miss as he wrote, “For what it actually represents Udta Punjab Is diminutive.. A more truthful and righteous title would be Udta India or Udta World.” Shirish Kunder tweeted: “You may feel it’s not fair to remove Punjab from Udta Punjab. But wait till Maneka Gandhi tells to remove Tommy from Tommy Singh (name of Shahid’s character)." A large number of netizens seemed outraged and made their disgust as well as frustration obvious through their comments on social media.
Aisi Taisi Democracy posted a tongue- in- cheek tweet: “No drug problem in Punjab No caste problem in India No gun problem in US No dictator problem in N. Korea No denial problem on this planet.”
Twitter user Priya Adivarekar wrote: “Demanding multiple cuts, deleting the main track & other elements. What do you want Udta Punjab to be in the end? A Snapchat video? #Unfair (sic).”
“It is all hearsay. We haven't received an official letter from either the Revising Committee or the I&B Ministry, whom we have already apprised of the situation. We will release the film on the original date, June 17. This is something we have stood by since the beginning,“ one of the film's producers informed Mirror. The review screening, after which it was also suggested that apart from the title, all mentions of the state be removed from the film, was reportedly presided over by Censor Board of Film Certification chief Pahlaj Nihalani.
Meanwhile, Punjab's ruling party Akali Dal, led by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his son, Sukhbir Badal, have raised strong objections to the film's title and narrative. The state government is routinely targeted by Congress and Aam Aadmi Party for the growing drug menace in the region. The opposition parties have made it clear that it will also be the top issue in their election campaign. The movie features Kareena Kapoor Khan, Shahid Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Diljit Dosanjh and is produced by Phantom Films and Ekta Kapoor-led Balaji Films.
A source from within the Censor Board informed, “Shyam Benegal's committee report also says the same thing: controversial-gory plotlines should either be released with an 'A' certificate with no cuts, or be banned entirely because cinema does not deserve to be scissored so the makers may have to succumb to pressure in a bid to salvage their film.“
Before the film's team met on Monday evening to plan their next move, reports claimed that they had already decided to knock off “Punjab“ from the title as well as from certain portions from the film.
---------------------------
Reports that the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal might have asked makers of Udta Punjab to drop Punjab from the title spark angry as well as hilarious reactions from netizens
MID-DAY (June 7, 2016)
After being asked to effect nearly 40 cuts in Udta Punjab, the makers had knocked on the doors of the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) hoping for some respite. However, amidst reports that the tribunal has suggested that ‘Punjab’ be dropped from the film’s title, social media went berserk with reactions that ranged from angry to hilarious. While the makers are tightlipped about any such development, sources close to the film say that they are awaiting an official communication regarding the same. The film deals with rampant drug abuse in the northern state.
The film starring Shahid Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Diljit Dosanjh was slated to hit theatres on June 17. However, given the censor issues, the release date is likely to be delayed by two weeks or perhaps, more. Interestingly, Censor Board member Ashoke Pandit posted a series of tweets that read, “I as a filmmaker & a citizen of this country condemn d act of asking the producers 2 remove d word ‘Punjab’ from the film. I question the intelligence of the committee which has given this judgement of removing the word ‘Punjab’ from #UdtaPunjab. I as a #CBFC member appeal to the #Chairman to take a call as a filmmaker & protect the FOE of a filmmaker (sic).”
Bollywood folk also joined the debate on Twitter and slammed the alleged decision to change the title. The sarcasm in Ram Gopal Varma’s post was hard to miss as he wrote, “For what it actually represents Udta Punjab Is diminutive.. A more truthful and righteous title would be Udta India or Udta World.” Shirish Kunder tweeted: “You may feel it’s not fair to remove Punjab from Udta Punjab. But wait till Maneka Gandhi tells to remove Tommy from Tommy Singh (name of Shahid’s character)." A large number of netizens seemed outraged and made their disgust as well as frustration obvious through their comments on social media.
Aisi Taisi Democracy posted a tongue- in- cheek tweet: “No drug problem in Punjab No caste problem in India No gun problem in US No dictator problem in N. Korea No denial problem on this planet.”
Twitter user Priya Adivarekar wrote: “Demanding multiple cuts, deleting the main track & other elements. What do you want Udta Punjab to be in the end? A Snapchat video? #Unfair (sic).”
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