‘Son of Manjit Singh’ reminds me of my father, says Kapil

Neha Saini

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Tribune News Service

Amritsar, October 6

When two of the most celebrated laughter masters come together, one can only expect them to create humour of epic proportions. But trust Kapil Sharma and Gurpreet Ghuggi to surprise you with their collaboration. Presenting upcoming Punjabi film ‘Son of Manjit Singh’, which is a story of a father-son relationship, the duo was in Amritsar for its promotion.

“I had been off work for long and wanted to come back with something inspirational and path breaking. The concept of ‘Son of Manjit Singh’ took two years to work on because we wanted to do something that has never been done before,” said Kapil, who will be seen making a comeback as a producer.

Of course, what followed was a barrage of questions regarding his break from work. “Everyone experiences a time in his or her life when mind stops functioning for a while due to stress and negativity. I spent a lot of time with myself. I travelled with my family, explored spirituality and just be.” The script of the film is what kept him motivated for a comeback. “When I first read the script, it reminded me of my relationship with my father. Like every child, I was always a dreamer and had he not supported me, I would have never been able to achieve them,” he said.

His Firangi fiasco is still fresh in his mind. “I wish I would have come up with such a concept (Son of Manjit Singh) earlier,” he said.

His friend, mentor actor Gurpreet Ghuggi, too, feels that the Punjabi film industry has been stereotyped, despite its potential to churn out ‘100 crore’ hits. “Till today, we have been a part of Punjabi films that cash in on farce humour. It’s time to bring in fresh concepts, show some versatility to the audience,” he said. Ghuggi, who is the lead in the film, has not charged any fee for the film, said Kapil Sharma. “I did the film as a contribution towards cinema for a change,” added Ghuggi.

A father of two, Ghuggi said that everyone would relate with the story. “I shared the trailer of the film with Akshay Kumar, and he called me up to say that he felt as if it was his story. As parents, we all share the same emotions and relationship with our kids.”

Back in form

Contrary to the speculations post the public fallout with his Comedy Nights with Kapil Sharma co-stars and reports of going under rehabilitation after suffering from depression, Kapil was his usual witty self as he interacted with media in his hometown. “It feels good dress up in a fancy kurta-pyjama after a year,” he said. Dodging questions on his apparent weight gain, he said, “Being on television got me into being fit. But like every Punjabi, it’s very difficult to strike a balance between washboard abs and Amritsari kulcha.” He also played around with questions regarding his co-actor Sunil Grover. “We are very good friends and we meet as well, whenever we can. There is no bad blood between us.”