30062024-LSTL-01.qxd 6/29/2024 7:47 PM Page 1 c m y b SONAKSHI’S LOOK FROM KAKUDA Makers of horror comedy Kakuda have unveiled the character poster of Sonakshi Sinha. Taking to Instagram, Sonakshi treated fans with her intriguing look. Kakuda will be out on ZEE5 on July 12. TRIBUNE Comedy zone Life Actor Vicky Kaushal has said the reason he agreed to do Bad Newz was because he wanted to explore the comedy genre, something he hasn’t done before. LUDHIANA | SUNDAY | 30 JUNE 2024 Clockwise from far left: Manjot Singh, Ishita Raj, Jassie Gill, Patralekhaa, Simarpreet Singh, Varun Sharma and Sunny Singh. ’S A IT PHOTO: VICKY LD I W E! ID R ng comi up nkot, ab tha to Pa ild Punj me la Patia Wild W f a lifeti From ix film trip o it Netfl antees a d crew h Sheetal guar e cast an nning HAT happens as th round ru when your friend goes through an the g andigarh ugly break-up and doesn’t quit drinkin Ch ing? Getting him back on W Bumble is secondary, but in search of closure an ‘all friends’ road trip is a must! Upcoming Netflix film Wild Wild Punjab, from the house of Luv Ranjan, our very own relationship expert, explores the same theme on the roads of Punjab. There’s also a motive, Varun Sharma, as a love-sick Rajesh Khanna, wants to go his ex-girlfriend’s marriage to say four words of closure — ‘I am over you’. “On July 10, when it releases, it would be interesting to witness the lanes of Punjab all the way from Patiala to Pathankot, as detours are guaranteed in this break-up trip,” informed director Simarpreet Singh. More than that, when the cast and director arrived in Chandigarh via road, memories came flashing of their shooting days in Punjab during the winter. FRIENDS IN ACTION Quite a unique cast, Wild Wild Punjab features Varun Sharma, Manjot Singh, Sunny Singh, Ishita Raj, Patralekhaa and Jassie Gill. “There was no ice to break between us all. We were friends before signing the film. For the rest of us, who didn’t work with each other, the joint reading session and pre-production prep work helped us bond,” said Varun. His and Manjot’s friendship goes back to 14 years, even before they became part of the hit franchise Fukrey. Manjot, who has done many versatile projects, shared, “I am playing the character of Honey Singh, whose first love is his car. He lovingly calls it Paaro.” Pyaar Ka Punchnama and Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety co-stars, Sunny Singh and Ishita Raj, are not far behind. They have been friends since long too, but it’s the first time they would be seen opposite each other. “I think we have this really interesting bond off screen, which reflects SONG TO CHERISH onscreen too. We can catch each other’s expression and know immediately what we have to change or do on camera for the scene to work. It’s something that comes naturally,” shared Ishita. On the other hand, Patralekhaa explained how she really had to work through to get to know Jassie better, as the latter is very shy in real life. MATTER OF LOOKS Since the trailer’s release, Sunny Singh’s character Maan Arora’s look has created quite a stir among female fans. Sunny has done romantic roles until now, but will be seen in a different avatar in this Netflix film. Sunny shared, “My look is Simar’s creation and exactly how he had imagined. For me to get into the skin of the character, the change in my look worked. As they were chopping my hair and changing my beard style, it felt like I was becoming more of my character. It was definitely someone new and unrecognisable when I saw myself in the mirror.” Seen as a casanova, Sunny called his character naughty but also loyal to his friends. Jassie Gill plays a Jain character named Gaurav, an odd one out in this Wild Punjabi mix. But in his defense, Simar explained, “We often remark that Jatt-dominant stories come from the hinterlands of Punjab, but there’s so much more to the narrative. Ours is a very refreshing and inclusive take on Punjab. We specifically chose Patiala for their background, as we didn’t want really modern boys but also not village lads — somewhere in between.” Jassie, as Gaurav Jain, who doesn’t drink alcohol or consumes non-vegetarian food, felt he didn’t have to do much homework for the role. “In every friend’s group there’s one person who would always be afraid of doing something adventurous or rebellious. There is always one who is afraid that parents would find out; he ruins the whole vibe of the group. I am that guy.” LOVE FOR KHETS Patralekhaa, who always aspired to explore Husn Irani, which is a poster song of the film, is a rendition of Dhol Jageero Da, and director Simar believed that there was no other song that would have justified the feelings of these friends better. “It’s one song that every Punjabi would relate to and must have heard in weddings on repeat mode. It’s our way to bring back the old song, which we all have grooved upon while growing up. I think, being Punjabis, Varun, Manjot and Sunny would especially agree with me.” the khets of Punjab, like many Bollywood actors, felt happy with the overall outcome of the film. “Before landing in Punjab for the shoot, I was reading The Last Queen by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni to understand Punjab better. I was impressed by Punjab’s rich history, especially the brave Maharaja Ranjit Singh and his wife Jind Kaur. I really loved shooting here and getting to know people of Punjab. They are warm and welcoming. Also, the food is amazing.” On her character Radha, Patralekhaa drew from Jind Kaur’s deep belief in God. “In the film you will often see her thanking God like we many Hindus do by touching their hand on the forehead.” E O CROSSING THEdLINPunjab N w Will Wild plained ho The director ex about four male friends OTT film gular was an use gaalis in re who happen to yet it does not cross the conversation, ed, “We have not line. Varun shar enes for the sake of diluted some sc ve used swear doing so. We ha re necessary. My words only wheunk and out of character is dr the film as he wits throughout n man in is a heart-broke ve to be a ha rage, so there for the few expletives .” authentic feel Punjabi superstars Diljit Dosanjh and Neeru Bajwa impress with their onscreen chemistry in this third outing of the hit franchisee JATT & JULIET 3 Director: Jagdeep Sidhu Cast: Neeru Bajwa, Diljit Dosanjh, Jasmin Bajwa, Jaswinder Bhalla, BN Sharma, Rana Ranbir, Nasir Chinyoti and Akram Udas Rating: ★★★ It’s almost a decade on that the Jatt & Juliet franchise has been revived for the third outing, with Jagdeep Sidhu stepping up as writer and director. The film has a fresh perspective, but the same charm, and Diljit Dosanjh and Neeru Bajwa’s jodi shines once again. It starts off with Diljit as a new recruit, Fateh Singh, in Punjab police, who reports to lady officer Pooja, portrayed by Neeru Bajwa. Fateh wants to woo her and make it a ‘double-income’ family! On the other hand, Pooja sees Fateh as a docile man who she could dominate after marriage. As soon as Fateh finds out that Pooja was an honest cop, who was against corruption and also c m y b Jatt, Juliet rock again committed to sending her earnings to her family, his dreams fade away. And that’s when the real fun begins. Much more entertainment awaits in the second half. The punch-lines have real magic and we believe each character has improvised on sets to bring authenticity to the storyline. Jagdeep Sidhu has made it an impressive fare with many funny stories associated with Punjabi culture finding mention. Diljit has done well with one-liners, which reminds of his Instagram-blogging style. Impressive as a strict and honest police officer, Neeru knows when to act and when to be real, just like her character Pooja. The way she changes colours according to the situation really sums up her act. Newbie Jasmin has been given the tough job to add a twist to their sparkling chemistry. She lives up to expectations, but her chemistry with Diljit is nowhere near what it is with Neeru. The songs, although good, somehow do not add much to the narrative in the first half, which is the only time the film bores you a bit. It’s all too dreamy and slow; one would sure want to skip had it been on OTT. Jagdeep has also given a monologue to Diljit just before the climax to add some emotion, but it lacks soul. However, this film is all about comedy, fun and entertainment and in the name of romance there’s nok-jhonk that every Punjabi relates to. Go for it! — Sheetal
The Tribune, now published from Chandigarh, started publication on February 2, 1881, in Lahore (now in Pakistan). It was started by Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia, a public-spirited philanthropist, and is run by a trust comprising four eminent persons as trustees.
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