22092024-LSTC-01.qxd 9/21/2024 10:46 PM Page 1 c m y b KARAN TO DIRECT OTT PROJECT? Filmmaker Karan Johar is all set to surprise the audience with something special on OTT, as he is likely to direct a big-budget web series. The script has been finalised and production is slated to begin in early 2025. However, an official announcement is still awaited. TRIBUNE Life PHOTOS: PRADEEP TEWARI Award time Hollywood star Johnny Depp will be honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 19th Rome Film Festival, where his upcoming directorial Modi - Three Days on the Wing of Madness will also be screened. CHANDIGARH | SUNDAY | 22 SEPTEMBER 2024 Going the distance VikrantParmar Root for rangroots! Mona A LMOST an all-new Punjabi cast, helmed by a Maharashtrian director Vickey Kadam, team Jahankilla was in a jovial mood on the eve of the release of their film on Friday. And, why not, cheering them on the premiere night was the real 1983 star — ace cricketer Kapil Dev! Heaping praise on the cast of the film, Kapil said, “My friend has produced this film and I am here to promote him.” The mood in the Elante cinema corridor was that of jubilation and celebration, as cine-goers thronged Jahankilla is to get a glimpse of Kapil. The bold ones dedicated to our beat the crowd to get first responders. It selfies with the former comes with a Indian cricket captain. beautiful message for our youngsters Chomping on poptoo — it’s not necessary to go abroad corns, Kapil Dev was to gain success, if you work hard, you indulgent with his can succeed in our own country,” admirers; a word there, a nod there, he gave KAPIL DEV, CRICKETER The cast of Punjabi movie Jahankilla, including Gurbani Gill and Jobanpreet Singh, says the message of the film is deep company to team Jahankilla. “Shot in Bahadurgarh Fort, Patiala, the film is titled Jahankilla because it is the training rangroots’ entire jahan (world), and is shot in the killa (fort),” says Vickey Kadam, the debut director of the film. A Maharshtrian, Kadam is not new to the Punjabi industry as he has worked on different projects, including the film Saak that too starred Jobanpreet Singh. “I am pretty comfortable in Punjabi by now. I can understand it fully well, read and write in Roman Punjabi. By my next project, you will see me conversing well in the language,” he chuckles. The film has a rather fresh cast — Gurbani Gill, Jashn Kohli, Jeet Singh Panwaar and Akashdeep Singh. Its lead actor Joban- preet Singh has penned the story. “IT stems from my training days in police. That was the golden period of life,” shares Jobanpreet, who quit his police job to pursue his passion for acting. Gurbani plays the character of Simran — Shinda’s love interest. “When a rangroot goes for training how his personal family life is affected is what my character brings to the fore.” Director Kadam is very proud of his team. “We have the best in the industry join hands — songs are by famous lyricist Shelle, our DOP is Anshul Chobey, who has done Kesari and Punjab 1984, and background score is by Rohit Kulkarni, who has done Mary Kom. You will see a pan-Indian quality to our movie.” The film’s choreographer Samadhan Sargar loved the experience on the sets. “I have done all the five songs in the film. While we have given our best to all of them, my favourite is Sajje Khabbe as it has an infectious fun vibe.” The motely group is led by Kapil Dev. “Jahankilla is dedicated to our first responders. It comes with a beautiful message for our youngsters too — it’s not necessary to go abroad to gain success, if you work hard, you can succeed in our own country,” beamed Kapil. In the line of duty JAHANKILLA Director: Vickey Kadam Cast: Jobanpreet Singh, Gurbani Gill, Jashn Kohli, Jeet Singh Panwaar, Akashdeep Singh, Parkash Gadhu Rating: ★★★ A cop story that celebrates friendship and pushes for an equal world is what Punjabi film Jahankilla is all about. Debut direction by Vickey Kadam, the film explores life of three boys — Shinda (Jobanpreet Singh), Ghabrila (Jashn Kohli) and Sanju (Jeet Singh Panwaar) — who come together at a Punjab Police training centre and form a deep bond. Under the strict command of Sewa Singh (Parkash Gadhu), they dream of pulling their families from clutches of penury. However, Shinda gets into trouble for beating a senior. From thereon, starts discrimination and bully- MOVIE REVIEW ing. Not ready to back down, Shinda, with the help of his friends, prepares for the civil services exams with an aim to don an IPS officer’s uniform. The film beautifully depicts the camaraderie at the academy. Gurbani Gill, as Simran, portrays another girl whose family is keen to settle her in Canada after marriage. Jobanpreet Singh, who is also the writer of the film, does a fine job. Jeet Singh Panwaar enacts the role of Sanju with utmost sincerity. A dogooder, he is happy to help his friend achieve what he could not. The funniest of them all is Ghabrila — Jashn Kohli. The happy peppy soul, who gets scared rather easily, evokes many a laughs with his innocent comic act. Gurbani looks beautiful on screen and acts decently well. A simple watch, it comes replete with songs, which are soon losing their place in ‘real’ stories that form a major chunk of cinema lately. With most of the cast rather new in the field, director Vickey Kadam has managed to pull off a decent screen outing. Through dialogues, the film talks of struggles faced by cops for whom call of duty overrides family. A character says how the young of this country should stay on their land and help make it a better place. And, for society to be not divided on caste or class lines, but come together to make Punjab — the land of great seers — prosperous and harmonious again. Due credit to Jobanpreet for writing this story. One hopes to see more films that celebrate the rich land of Punjab and the Punjabi spirit. — Mona c m y b At first there was the usual chatter, some echoes and then silence, as pearls of wisdom began to flow like a river that runs deep. At the launch of author couple Novel Lavasa and Ashok Lavasa’s book, Echoes of Faith: Tales of Exploration, Nature and Divinity, at the Government Museum and Art Gallery on Friday evening, it was about history, spirituality, mythology, nature and more. Co-incidentally, it all began in the City Beautiful in the times gone by. “Often on weekends, we would travel to the hills and be one with nature, along with friends and their children. That clime, the overall ambience goaded me to explore and thereon began a journey of faith,” Novel, a banker and an environmentalist, set into motion a conversation that spawned thought. Their travels, across the length at breadth of the country — from the Chur Dhar peak in Sirmaur, Himachal Pradesh, to the Kabir Gufa in Bandhavgarh, Madhya Pradesh, among the many others — form the nucleus of the book, which by no means is a travel piece. Says Ashok, the co-author, civil servant and former Election Commissioner of India, “It is PHOTO: VICKY Author-couple Novel and Ashok Lavasa’s book, Echoes of Faith, is about oneness with nature not a travelogue, but a journey of faith. It is an honest sharing of thoughts and feelings. It about pensive moods; these stories are about moments enjoyed in peace and internalised.” Quoting English poet William Wordsworth’s verses, as also Urdu and Hindi couplets, Ashok, a man ‘who spoke when it mattered and stood up when it counted’, admits that being a literature student he developed a deep perspective on life. “Our journey is about enquiry, adventure and empathy. It’s about faith, which can be interpreted differently,” he says. Faith is sure a matter of personal belief — the conversation meandered into the philosophical realm. “Ordinary people can be great too and so can the places; this is what the book is about. I am an agnostic, yet all these journeys taught me a lesson in life. Nature is an ally, it’s a force that is palpable; it teaches and chides in equal measure — it’s for us to understand. We need to pick what is best for the human race,” says Ashok. On a lighter note, travels like these cannot be undertaken when kids are a priority. “That is where help came in from my husband, always. Now that the kids are all grown up, travel is what it is,” beams Novel. Many frontiers await them yet. They, of course, believe in going the distance!