00:00Hello everyone, this is Vinita Kumar. You're watching me on India Today. So you know film
00:08industry is expanding. Nothing is regional anymore. Everything is pan India. In the show
00:13today we are going to discuss one such film, Akaal, which though has its roots in the Punjabi
00:19cinema, it is going big. It is going pan India. Please welcome the team of the film with me,
00:26Nimrat Khaira and Guggi Bajre. Thank you so much. As I mentioned, it is going big in Punjab.
00:34You have to tell me, this is not a fluff. This is not any other glossy film. This is
00:41something serious. How do you make sure that when people are judging you, when people are
00:48watching this, people are happy. People are going to respond to it in a positive way.
00:53That you are not giving them anything vulnerable. How do you make sure that this is as good
00:58as it looks?
01:23The stories that require money are always good stories. But while making a film, it
01:29is very good and while making it, it is bad. Because otherwise, if you see a film on paper
01:33that this is rubbish, there is such a big team, then no one spends money on rubbish.
01:38So we made a film like that. This was the strength of our whole team. Sometimes the
01:44director wants to make a film or sometimes the producer wants to make a film. Actors
01:49only come for this purpose that we are getting money, we are doing our job. So in this film
01:54there was nothing like that. All the actors, writers, directors, all the people who are
01:59connected with the spot boys, they were all on this motive that with this film, we feel
02:04that Punjabi cinema will grow. If it grows, then we will make more big films. They were
02:10on the same motive. When the film was ready, then Dharma saw it. He felt that this film
02:17has potential, it is a big film. So Karan ji, Apoorva ji, all of them were with the film.
02:22They were our partners. So now because of them, the film is being released on a large
02:27scale in Hindi. So that's why these things have become possible. Because with a clear
02:31intention, we tried to present a clear film.
02:35You know Guppy, I know your passion for cinema and I know your passion about taking Punjabi
02:42cinema to the level which is extraordinary. And we have discussed that in the past. But
02:47tell me this, is this also, when you make a film like Akaal and you made Ardaas and
02:52all these spiritual films, is this your idea of giving back to the community?
02:58Absolutely, because I feel that there are many subjects on which we can work. But the
03:06reason being that there are many subjects which are very good, but there is no budget.
03:11So that's why we felt that we should make our plot like that. Ardaas is also one of
03:16them. So films like that should be made. In today's date, no social drama was being
03:21made. If it was made, then it wouldn't have worked. When we made it, people were telling
03:26us that in this zone where you are making Carry On Jatta, you feel that only Ardaas
03:31will work. But people saw it. I always say that when a film is good or bad, it doesn't
03:36matter whether it is a genre or not. I watch all kinds of films, but I want the film to
03:40be good. So I felt that this subject is a big subject. And definitely, like you said,
03:46there is a payback for the community that you are making a good thing. And on top of
03:51that, if you are a fan of India, I feel that if the film goes there too, then for that
03:56audience too, who don't watch Punjabi films, only watch Hindi, this is a totally new subject
04:01for them too. Because even Bollywood has never made a film on such characters. So if Bollywood
04:06has made films about Sikhs, then there will be more films about the army. And without
04:11that, nothing has been made. So I think this subject was very good. And it is also new
04:16for everyone.
04:27As everybody has been accepting and saying. In your resume, when you look back, your journey,
04:33your entire film career, where does it stand?
04:56And anyway, if we talk about our Sikh history, from which these characters are inspired,
05:02then there have been many talented women in Sikh history, who have made a very big contribution.
05:09And sir's vision has been so strong when he has written that he has not left that thing
05:14that a strong woman's portrait. Because we have a lot of examples. Bibi Sharan Kaur ji,
05:19Mahi Pago ji, we have a lot of names. So portraying such a character who is so powerful
05:26in herself, I am extremely happy.
05:31Guggi sir, congratulations.
05:33Thank you so much.
05:34And you know, there is a whole section out there, who I think admires your collaboration
05:40with Gipi. This is also another attempt, I think, where you are bringing something which
05:47does not let you confined to that comedy space. You know, another attempt.
05:52Tell me, when you and Gipi are sitting together, the creative conversation that takes place
05:58on a film, on a script, on a scene, on a dialogue, what is that? What is that in BTS?
06:04When we are making some comedy, then we talk about comedy only.
06:09And we actually exchange the ideas and we just explore the things we can do in that movie.
06:15When we talk about this kind of stuff, then we take the things very seriously.
06:21Because we need to know about the history and the value of the production,
06:26what we are going to present on the screen and what the scale would be.
06:31Right.
06:32And what authenticity should be in the making. That is the most important thing.
06:37Especially when we made Arthaas, because that was completely based on the teachings of Guru Granth Sahib ji.
06:44So, we need to be very careful. So, one step up when we make Akaal,
06:52then our first concern was the actual history. And we should not cross the boundaries of the history.
06:59Though we are talking about the fiction, we are making fiction, we are talking about the fictional characters,
07:07but we should be aware about our boundaries.
07:10And undoubtedly, Akaal is going to reconnect our present generation and our coming generations with their roots.
07:22Actually, the problem is this, we are missing in our families, we don't discuss history.
07:28We don't talk about the glory of the history in our families.
07:33So, what we talk about are reels and these bloody stuff, which is very actually taking the society in a different way.
07:45So, when we talk about glory of our history, then I think our generation is going to learn something
07:54and definitely they will reconnect to their roots.
08:00To all of you, in fact, have all your approvals been managed?
08:05Have you taken approvals from all the bodies? Have you shown the film to the Gurdwara Committee?
08:10Actually, what happens to me is, when we make Arthaas and other films, we pay a lot of attention to the film's criteria.
08:21So, that's why if someone asks me what this story is, I say it's a fictional story.
08:28We have set a period, around the time of Maharaj Ranjit Singh, around 1840, after his death,
08:36that this is a story of that time, what were the conditions of Punjab at that time.
08:40So, the story is based on that.
08:42So, when people who know about history, when they see this film, they will think that yes, this happened,
08:48then I only knew that what kind of people they were, their name was this, their name has also changed, our things have also changed.
08:54We have kept it in fiction, but we have kept it in a circle.
08:57We don't go wrong anywhere for anything.
09:00And this is the most important thing for us.
09:03Arthaas film is more important than this.
09:06For that, it is a lot.
09:08Because we do a lot of things in it, for which we have to show things to many people.
09:14But we do it in a very circular way.
09:18And the last question you asked to Kukiba ji ji, that when you sit, what discussion do you have?
09:25So, if a person sees my discussion with him, that when a comedy film is made,
09:32then after that I tell him that I am going to have a discussion with him about Akal,
09:37then he will say, don't go, we will make you flog.
09:39So, if a person sees how Akal's discussion is with him, then he will say that this man cannot do comedy.
09:45So, I felt that this is a different personality.
09:48Because this is not the same Gurpi who sits with you in Akal's session.
09:55So, I sit with many people for a film.
10:00The films that I am making, like the Arthaas series or Akal, no one else is making such a subject.
10:08So, even after doing a lot of research, when I sit,
10:12I tell him 20 things and he tells me 200 more.
10:17So, I take those 200 things home.
10:22So, after 3 months, I bring a new story from him that I have written something new.
10:28So, he tells me 200 more.
10:31So, our stories are being made like this.
10:33That's a wonderful creative collaboration.
10:35Everybody should look forward to it.
10:37We love that, definitely.
10:39Gurpi, you mentioned Karan, you mentioned Dharma in your previous answer.
10:44I want to understand this.
10:46Dharma, this is also the first Punjabi collaboration of Dharma Productions as well.
10:51People used to ask us, when are you doing this?
10:54So, we said that this is the debut of Dharma.
10:58So, my question was that when Dharma backs this film, of course, this becomes bigger.
11:04But I want to know if you had a conversation with Karan Johar.
11:08Of course, he has written a lot of big posts on Twitter and Instagram.
11:13But personally, did you have a conversation where you could make him understand what this means to you?
11:18No, not at all.
11:20Because when our deal was not locked, when we sat down, we had a long conversation about the film.
11:29Because I don't think that when you are collaborating with someone, you have to know each other.
11:35It's not like work is work.
11:37As I said earlier, this film is not work for us.
11:41It's a lot for us. It's our pride.
11:43So, it should get the right place.
11:46It's not like the film is coming, so it's coming.
11:49So, we sat down to talk about it.
11:51So, the respect he showed for us, the way he understood this product, the things about it.
11:57We didn't even tell him when we launched the trailer.
12:01Whatever he said, he said it from his heart.
12:05And even now, when we started the Punjab promotion, he said that he will also go to Punjab.
12:13So, we will go to Punjab.
12:15I have never been there for such a promotion.
12:18So, we will go there.
12:19We will tell everyone.
12:20I will also go with you.
12:21So, he is going on a tour with us.
12:23He is coming to Delhi.
12:24He is going there as well.
12:25He is going everywhere.
12:26That's wonderful.
12:27I think this is the kind of collaboration and the spirit that we need in the industry.
12:31I think as a united front.
12:34So, congratulations on that note.
12:36I think this is such a wonderful product.
12:38Everybody should see it.
12:39All the best.
12:40And again, congratulations.
12:42Thank you so much.
Comments