Take & retake
Raj, Simran and a title DDLJ'Punjabi film Din Dehadey Lai Jaange shares too many similarities with Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, except for the cast that has television hunk Gurmeet Choudhary as the lead and Bollywood baddie Ranjeet as the girl's father
Mona
Raj meets Simran again! Only this pair speaks in Punjabi. Din Dehadey Lai Jaange (DDLJ) is ostensibly a tribute to Yash Raj's iconic Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge!
In Chandigarh, the cast and crew of the movie talk about this romantic comedy that's slated for release later this year. Among all, it is Ranjeet, the bad man of Bollywood, who commands most attention and keeps us regaled with the constant comparison between the past and the present.
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Bad guy comes clean
With 200 plus movies to his credit, Ranjeet played the lecherous villain to perfection. So much so that when he would enter a party, people would say, 'Take care of your woman, Ranjeet is here'.
"I could not get married for people thought it was better to let the daughter be unmarried that marry her off to Ranjeet," he laughs.
But his onscreen persona has nothing in common with the man in real life. "It was just a job for me," he admits. "Gone are the days when I would touch a heroine's pallu and she would scream for help. With no sari or duppatta, fashion stylists and current heroines have rendered me jobless," he evokes laughter in the full hall.
Reigning the screen as the bad man, Ranjeet stopped signing films in 90s. He turned to production and made Karnama. "People thought Ranjeet's film with Vinod Khanna and Kimi Katkar would be vulgar but mine was a film where emotions reigned supreme." Ranjeet has continued to act and make films, but on his own terms. He would rather not be a part of the film that he cannot see with his family or staff. But he is not against today's generation. "Youngsters are way too talented and giving their best in the circumstances that surround them."
In this Din Dehadey Lai Jaange, Ranjeet plays the heroine's father. "I was born in Jalandhar, I am a Punjabi," says Ranjeet, happy with the strides the industry is making.
Punjabi by choice
While people can't have enough of Ranjeet, the veteran actor guides them gently to the young lead pair of the film, Gurmeet Choudhary and Sapna Thakur. The TV star Gurrmeet is Punjab bound in a big way. Apart from this DDLJ, he is also doing another Punjabi film Yaar Mera Rabb Warga. What made him opt for Punjabi films?
"I played a Punjabi in Geet Hui Sabse Paraayi and for the last three years I have been getting offers for Punjabi movies. I took the chance finally." He plays 'Raj' in the film. "Punjabi films are not only doing good business but have a huge fan following as well," says Gurmeet, who wants to stay loyal to small screen that made him a household name. "Whatever I have today is courtesy TV. Television has emerged as a very powerful medium and people know me in different parts of the world because of television," says the actor who was part of Ramayan and Punar Vivah too.
Comparing the telly and film word, Gurmeet finds the first exhaustive. "Everything works at a maddening pace. We speak dialogues just fresh from the writer's pen. In a day's time the episode is shot, edited, music done and by the time I finish work and reach home, it's being aired." And, we couldn't help asking, on how does he manage that physique in the hectic work schedules? "Strict diet control and religious gym regimen.I don't compromise on my exercise," says the winner of Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 5, open to reality shows and movies and soaps alike!
Strong appeal
Din Dehadey Lai Jaange is Sapna Thakur's third Punjabi film and the chirpy girl is happy to play Simran. "This Simarn is independent, strong willed and ends up meeting Raj. Pyaar, takrar and family drama, this DDLJ is different and good," says Sapna!
mona@tribunemail.com
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