Punjabi cinema has hit gold and Punjabi films are raking up moolah at the box office. But now, Punjabi cinema is also being used as a medium for creating awareness about social and health causes amongst its patrons, besides entertaining them. Canada-based cardiologist Anmol S Kapoor is one such individual who has taken to producing a Punjabi film to garner funds for his social health projects in Canada, UK as well as India. Ready with his maiden production, Patiala Dreamz that is all set to hit theatres during the festival season, Kapoor talks about the film.
Canada-based cardiologist Anmol S Kapoor talks about turning producer and storywriter for upcoming Punjabi film Patiala Dreamz. HT Photo
Kapoor, who is a fellow of Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and director of Advanced Cardiology Consultants and Diagnostics, Calgary, Canada, says, “I was always interested in cinema and was a film buff right from my schooldays. In fact, I have also dabbled in theatre during school and college and have done theatre even while pursuing a degree in medicine while in Russia.”
Talking about his maiden production, the script of which is also penned by him, Kapoor, who was born and raised in Nabha, near Patiala, adds, “Patiala Dreamz is a film which doesn’t have the ‘famous five’ comedians, slapstick comedy or a popular singer-turned-actor in it. But, we have made a film which is a masala potboiler, has a fresh star cast, good music and includes all genres one can think of—from romance, comedy and action to drama—in just the right doses.”
Narrating the story of the film, Kapoor avers, “The film narrates the story of a man who is brought up in Canada and gets recurrent dreams of places around Patiala. Initially, he keeps ignoring those dreams, but after his friends tell him that the places he is seeing in his dreams actually exist in Punjab, he decides to travel to the state to find the connection to those places. He wonders whether there is a connection with these places to his present or past.”
The film has a new star-cast which includes Sarwar Ahuja, winner of Zee Cine Stars Ki Khoj contest; Ankit Kakkar, who was last seen in the film Ishaqzaade; actor Madalsa Sharma and character actors such as B N Sharma, Sardar Sohi and Rana Jung Bahadur. The film also stars Gursharan Mann, a popular TV host from Toronto.
Narrating the story of the film, Kapoor avers, “The film narrates the story of a man who is brought up in Canada and gets recurrent dreams of places around Patiala. Initially, he keeps ignoring those dreams, but after his friends tell him that the places he is seeing in his dreams actually exist in Punjab, he decides to travel to the state to find the connection to those places. He wonders whether there is a connection with these places to his present or past.”
The film has a new star-cast which includes Sarwar Ahuja, winner of Zee Cine Stars Ki Khoj contest; Ankit Kakkar, who was last seen in the film Ishaqzaade; actor Madalsa Sharma and character actors such as B N Sharma, Sardar Sohi and Rana Jung Bahadur. The film also stars Gursharan Mann, a popular TV host from Toronto.
The film has songs by young singers from Canada including Kulwinder Billa and Jazz Punjabi and has choreography by Bollywood choreographer Shabina Khan. It has action by Hanif Sheikh, famous for his Munna Bhai film series. The film has been shot in India and exotic locales of Canada and Malaysia.
Talking about the reasons behind producing this film, Kapoor says, “I am the founder member of Canada- based Dil Walk Foundation, which is devoted to creating awareness amongst the Punjabi diaspora settled in Canada and UK about the growing risk of heart diseases there. The Punjabis and South Asians are at a greater risk of suffering from heart diseases because of genetics and eating habits. In fact, the risk factor for Punjabis suffering from heart diseases is five percent more than the natives there. But, because they are in the minority, there is hardly any research being conducted on the causes behind the same. Our NGO, Dil Walk Foundation, works towards conducting researches, creating awareness and a better infrastructure for the treatment of heart diseases. The NGO is now getting active in India as well, where we aim to provide expensive cancer treating medicines to the poor people for free. But, to accomplish all this, we needed funds for our NGO. That is when producing Patiala Dreamz struck me. In fact, the film too will carry a small message about creating awareness about our cause and the NGO.”