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Deana: New film was not a Hard choice

UPPAL SAYS HER PUNJABI MOVIE IS ALL ABOUT GIRL POWER

BRITISH model and TV personality Deana Uppal took the next step in her journey by pursuing an acting career in India.

After finding her feet in the film industry, the multi-talented actress has perhaps taken on her most challenging role with soon to be released Punjabi drama Hard Kaur, which revolves around a group of women who collectively fight an injustice.

Deana said she enjoyed acting in the girl power film and was feeling quietly confident when I caught up with her to find out more.

How does Hard Kaur compare to other projects you have done?

Hard Kaur has a script and storyline that I love, and I’m very proud to be a part of it. I believe the films I acted in during the earlier years didn’t have too much substance or meaning. So I waited many years for something I felt was meaningful and when I read the Hard Kaur script, it touched my heart immediately, and I knew I had to be a part of it. This film is close to my heart as it really has a strong empowering message for women.

Tell us about the film and character you play?

My role is of a simple sweet school teacher named Sirat Kaur. She is a very shy and relatable girl. She has to deal with struggles and faces harassment from men, which is no fault of her own. The story revolves around how Sirat and four other Kaurs (Sikh girls) come together and fight against these injustices. This is the first Punjabi film with females in the main lead roles, and that too playing such powerful characters.

What was the biggest challenge of playing the role?

I have always wanted to play a role like Sirat. She is a respectable girl and one who has an inner strength. The biggest challenge for me was the language, and since I really believed in the project, I worked hard to perfect it. As I was playing a girl from a village in Punjab, I had to spend more time on the language, but it was an enjoyable and interesting challenge.

Who are you hoping this film appeals to?

I feel our movie Hard Kaur will appeal to everyone, especially females. All women will definitely relate to the issues in this movie. Secondly I think this film will connect with everyone who appreciates a realistic storyline. This movie is a completely new concept for Punjabi cinema. It is the first woman empowerment film of its kind.

What is your favourite moment in Hard Kaur?

There is a scene where Sirat meets her old best friend from school after many years. She wants to tell her friend that she has fallen for the guy who wants to marry her, but is too shy to say it straight out. It’s a very endearing scene.

How much do you believe in girl power?

The movie is based around girl power and unity. I believe every girl has strength and if you put your mind to something, almost nothing is impossible.

Could you share a behind-the-scenes memorable story from the making of this movie?

For me the most memorable thing was just the whole experience of shooting in Patiala, Punjab, interacting with the locals, and seeing how they live. People in rural India live such simple lives. There was one small house in the village where we were shooting and the owners of the house were a newly wed couple. The bride was so beautiful and simple. She had never travelled out of the village or seen modern-day life. It was very interesting to talk to people like that.

Punjabi cinema has made impressive progress in the past decade. What are your future hopes for it?

I think Hard Kaur is a milestone for Punjabi cinema. As I mentioned earlier, it is the first female empowerment movie of its kind in that industry. It is also the first with an all-female lead cast. It is a Punjabi movie which deals with realistic issues and a sign of things to come. How well this film does at the box office will be an indication of whether the audience is ready to accept change. If they are, the horizons of a growing Punjabi industry will expand further.

What would be your dream role?

(Laughs) Wonder Woman would be awesome. But seriously, my dream role would be one that does not use a woman’s sexuality and appearance as a means to promote a film. The role should be meaningful and show my true acting potential. That is the dream, I guess.

What kind of films do you enjoy watching?

I like all genres and also enjoy watching movies from all the regional languages across India. Of course, I love classics and one of my favourites is a typical choice, but yes, I love Godfather.

What inspires you?

I really enjoy setting new goals for myself and working to achieving them. I feel it’s important to have goals in both your career and personal life. I wouldn’t say one person in particular inspires me as everyone has their own path, but my main goal is to be in a position where I am financially stable and emotionally happy in my life. Then I hope to inspire others with my journey.

Why should we go watch Hard Kaur?

I can honestly say Hard Kaur has such a strong powerful storyline that you will not regret spending two hours of your life watching it. It is a film that makes sense and keeps you gripped until the end.

Finally, why do you love cinema?

I love cinema because it is an escape for people. Watching a film can completely up your mood and make you forget about your own problems for those few hours. Cinema can also empower, begin debate and teach life lessons.

IS DEEPIKA STILL SEXIEST?

LOOK out next week for Eastern Eye’s globally popular list of the 50 sexiest Asian women this year.

Last year current Bollywood queen Deepika Padukone dethroned Priyanka Chopra to top the list for the first time. Follow @easterneye on Twitter to find out the top six before anyone else next Wednesday (6) and to see if Deepika has held on to her crown.

KHAN’S ‘BEST MISTAKES’

ACTOR turned director Sanjay Khan is reportedly planning to write an autobiography tentatively titled My Best Mistakes.

If he is totally honest about his life then it will be a compelling read, but I suspect he won’t talk too much about several events including his brutal assault on then girlfriend Zeenat Aman at the height of her fame. I suspect he also won’t discuss his other Bollywood liaisons, his daughter Sussanne Khan getting divorced from Hrithik Roshan or his son Zayed Khan’s career going up in flames. That is why I won’t be reading the book if it comes out.

QAWWALI CONNECTION

HE MAY be most associated with international pop stars including Beyonce, Emeli Sandé and Sam Smith, but ace music producer Naughty Boy is very much connected to his Pakistani roots and loves traditional music genres like qawwali.

He ecently watched Rahat Fateh Ali Khan deliver another knockout performance in London and is planning to record a song with the popular singer, which would see him team up with a bigname artist from the western mainstream. The song could even make it onto Naughty Boy’s hotly anticipated new album, which is due out in April 2018.

RUMER’S REVELATIONS

BRITISH singer Rumer gave a painfully honest account of the turmoil she went through before finding peace in Arkansas, America, where she got married and had a child.

The half Pakistani artist confessed she was suicidal, depressed and on anti-psychotic medication just five years ago.

In a brutally honest Facebook post, Rumer said she was working in an unregulated, abusive music industry where she was treated like an object, dehumanised and thrown around the world like a rag doll, with no regard for her mental or physical health.

Despite once feeling crushed, the gifted vocalist is now in a happier place and sent out a message of support to those struggling with mental illness.

KATRINA BACK ON TRACK

SHE may have joined social media late, but Katrina Kaif is making up for lost time by uploading eyecatching photographs, including on Instagram, where she has quickly racked up over six million followers. It looks like the sexy Tiger Zinda Hai star is in a much happier place in her life and over the painful split from Ranbir Kapoor. Sources close to the actress have told me she is focusing on work and looking for quality projects. With movies opposite Salman Khan, Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan on the way, Katrina has taken major steps towards reclaiming her crown as Bollywood queen.

SAMI: CROSSING THE LINE

POPULAR artist Adnan Sami is continuing to stir up cross-border tensions three years after he got Indian citizenship. The singer and musician complained that Pakistan doesn’t value its artists despite having amazing talent. He said the country did not rate late singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan until English songwriter Peter Gabriel started collaborating with him. He levelled other criticisms against Pakistanis, which has stirred more unnecessary controversy for the sake of headlines. Quite frankly he needs to promote peace instead of hate.