As lovely as it can get

Mona

Lovely Ka Dhaba shines in all its glory. Colourful buntings set the mood and there are elements all rural —lanterns, charpais, men in safas and tall glasses of lassi! Amongst the harsh lights, ‘South Indian by birth and North Indian’ by heart, Isha Koppikar commands a desi Punjabi presence dressed in a red salwar suit!

She’s ‘lovely’, and her dhaba on Zirakpur-Patiala road the hub of all action as Gemplex shoots for their web series Lovely Ka Dhaba. It’s hard to miss a picture of director Kenny Chhabra, dressed in olives, duly taking a prominent space on the wall. As he takes the mike and shouts in his now hoarse voice, one realises that he has from his mentor, Subhash Ghai, taken the characteristic ‘appearance’ in one of the scenes!

Connecting thread

In the series, he plays Lovely’s martyred husband, a Param Vir Chakra winner. On way from dhaba to shoot a sequence in sarson ke khet (yes, Kenny managed to find a small mustard field patch in this season), Isha fills in. “I play a martyr’s widow who continues to take forward her late husband’s tradition to serve through her dhaba.”

This short series has six episodes, a different story with Lovely playing the connecting thread. Though it’s her debut in web series, the Khallas girl considers herself to be quite a trendsetter. “I did item numbers or a film like Girlfriend way back. People are just opening up to it now.” In the web series she finds an excellent platform to reach the masses. “Theatre is expensive; look at a phone’s reach — even a rehri, rikshaw-wala has it.”

Producer speak

Her producers — Vishal Patil, Avishek Mazumdar and Suresh Anchan — also believe that internet plays a significant part in connecting with the audiences worldwide. Vishal and Avishek, who have also written the script, insist that though language remains Hindi, but the word dhaba would always invoke the image of Punjab. “Dhaba plays a metaphor in this story as a stop-over not only to fill the stomach but derive lessons in life,” they echo.

Love for Punjab

Meanwhile, Isha is enjoying playing ‘lively’ Lovely, “I love Punjab. The whole energy that this place imbues; people full of passion, vigour, ready to put in their all for their dreams,” says the actress who always wears a kada and a kanda. Married to a Punjabi and now a mum, she confesses to have managed the different phases pretty well. “I knew marriage and motherhood would lead to sabbatical and I used that time to set up my hospitality business with the help of my hubby.”

While acting took a back seat, what Isha didn’t give up was her hours of workout, each day. “I did not listen to even my gynaecologist for nobody knows my body better than me.” Frequent and frugal her meals are there too, for just like any other actor she too loves her body!

Director’s cut

Director Kenny Chhabra loves everything Punjabi, and when in Punjab he cannot help speaking it out loudly He ensures that all shots are in before the day light goes out. A drone catches Isha in red, her colourful dupatta flying in the air and the director is content with the footage! “I love coming here. Shooting Double the Trouble was huge fun,” says Kenny, who just like his mentor, Subhash Ghai, claims to be an emotional filmmaker. This shoot is special for him for Isha Koppikar is a friend first. And, he loves Punjab. “Punjab has always been a huge influence on our industry. Even if not in Punjabi, I would be bringing in way more content based on this vibrant state.”

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