The Canadian Parvasi - Issue 21

The International News Weekly India
November 24, 2017 | Toronto
13
I am not business-minded, says comedian Kapil Sharma
Indo-Asian News Service
MUMBAI: Comedianturned-film
producer Kapil
Sharma, excited about his
new movie "Firangi", says
he is not very "businessminded"
as a producer and
rather enjoys the creative
part of filmmaking.
Kapil has produced "Firangi"
and has also acted
in it.
Asked if it is a tough
task to dabble in acting
and production simultaneously,
Kapil told IANS: "I
think I am not businessminded
as a producer,
which I was supposed to
be, to make a film in a tight
budget.
"For instance, in the
film, which we shot in
Punjab, we waited for the
real winter to come so
that we can capture the
beauty of Punjab in winter
-- how people look nice
in a village wedding wearing
shawls and how larger
than life our big fat Punjabi
wedding looks like.
In fact, we shot in real fog,
at a beautiful location in
Ropar, from where Satluj
river passes.
"Focusing on this elaboration
of beauty, what
we didn't realize that in
winter, the day is shorter,
and therefore the shooting
schedule got extended
than usual. Therefore,
the budget also extended.
So I realized that I am
someone who enjoys storytelling,
creativity and
entertainment, but I am
not so great with finance
management." The story
of the film "Firangi", set
in 1920s' Punjab, revolves
around a villager named
Manga who goes through
a tough time in the society
for being a servant of British
government at a time
when Indians were fighting
for freedom.
The times around 1920
were quite sensitive in the
freedom movement after
the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
Was that the trigger
for him to take up the subject
for the film?
Kapil said: "See, there
are two factors in the film
that interested me to take
it up. Firstly, this film
is not just talking about
the trouble that a young
man of 1920s' era in that
time of the society is going
through. It also shows
British Government in a
positive light. In most of
the films, we have seen the
battle between the ruthless
British people versus victim
Indians. This film has
a balanced view."
"Indians who served
the British were no less patriot.
They had to be true
to the ruling government
because they were serving
them and they were paid
to serve. Without being
preachy, in a lighter vein,
our film addresses all these
points."
Kapil has won the audience's
heart with his
humour, but he admits he
is in a constant process to
change his image.
"Back in Amritsar, I
used to act in various serious
and intense dramas
and used to sing at various
ceremonies. I never had an
image of a comedian then.
So, when I went for 'The
Great Indian Laughter
Challenge', people asked
me how I will manage comedy,
being a serious actor.
"Now people ask me
just the opposite -- How
will I break the image of a
comedian? The fact is everything
is just one show
or one film away... I am an
entertainer, so I should be
comfortable playing all the
emotions." Directed by Rajiev
Dhingra, "Firangi" is
releasing on November 24.
Guru Tegh Bahadur stood for human
dignity, freedom: President
Agencies
NEW DELHI: Sikh Guru
Tegh Bahadur made supreme
sacrifice for the
cause of human dignity,
liberty and freedom of
worship and we should
dedicate ourselves to the
same principles, President
Ram Nath Kovind said on
Thursday.
In his message on the
martyrdom day of the ninth
Guru of the Sikhs, Kovind
said: "On the occasion of
the observance of the Shaheedi
Divas of Guru Tegh
Bahadur, let us recall and
commemorate his supreme
sacrifice for the cause of
human dignity, liberty and
freedom of worship. "The
teachings and the martyrdom
of Guru Tegh Bahadur
convey a message of everlasting
significance and
represent universal and
unalienable values that are
the right of every human
being."
The President said that
on this occasion, his followers
should renew the
pledge to dedicate themselves
to the principles that
the Guru stood for and gave
his life for.
Punjab Sikh leader to campign
for BJP in Gujarat
NEW DELHI: Sukhminderpal
Singh Grewal, who
is the Sikh face of the BJP
in Punjab, has been roped
in by the party for its poll
campaign in Gujarat.
Grewal, who is the
national secretary of the
Bharatiya Janata Party
Kisan Morcha, also campaigned
for the party in
the just finished Himachal
assembly elections.
He will campaign for
the BJP in the areas which
have a substantial presence
of the Sikhs. Lots of
farmers from Punjab have
settled in Gujarat.
Grewal is a known critic
of the Akali Dal which is
an ally of the BJP in Punjab.
Punjab CM proposes Govt corporation to sell liquor
Indo-Asian News Service
CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief
Minister Amarinder Singh on
Thursday directed the Excise
Department to explore the possibility
of setting up a wholesale
liquor corporation for the distribution
of liquor, as a step towards
ending monopolistic practices
in the trade and earning
revenue for the state exchequer.
The decision was taken at
the first meeting of the cabinet
sub-committee on finance, set
up to regularly review the cashstrapped
state's fiscal situation.
The sub-committee has been
tasked with finding ways of curtailing
expenditure and mobilizing
resources.
The Chief Minister asked
the Excise Department to check
on the feasibility of government
intervention in the liquor trade,
which is currently completely
controlled by private players in
the state.
He asked the Department
to work out the modalities for
developing a corporation for
wholesale distribution of liquor.
The Excise Department earlier
made a presentation to the
sub-committee explaining the existing
value chain in the liquor
trade and also highlighting the
model followed by other states,
including Haryana, Tamil Nadu,
Kerala and Rajasthan, according
to a state government spokesperson.
A move to shift to a multiyear
liquor policy from the prevailing
one-year policy was also
discussed by the sub-committee,
which instructed the department
to submit a detailed proposal.
The Chief Minister also
sought a proposal on restructuring
of the Excise and Taxation
Departments to ensure more
focussed administration of commercial
taxes and excise with infusion
of greater technology and
specialization.
He said it was important for
various departments to come out
with innovative ways to generate
revenue for the state, which
has inherited a debt burden of
Rs 208,000 crore from the previous
Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP
government. The Excise Department
has been asked to take
steps to significantly raise its
revenue generation targets over
the next three years.
With a fiscal deficit of
Rs 34,000 crore and revenue
deficit of Rs 13,000 crore, the
Congress government in
the state is battling a major
challenge as it strives to combat
the fiscal crisis.