Hit it hard!

Jasmine Singh

If there is a director who likes to keep everything ‘real’, right from his thoughts, life, prayers, acts and films, is Punjabi and Bollywood director-writer Rohit Jugraj. A swashbuckler who heads to the mountains way too often to touch base with himself wouldn’t settle for anything that is made up or not real! “Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev says that seeing everything just the way it is gives you the power and capability to walk through it effortlessly, which is why I see humans and their heartfelt emotions the way they are, always giving it a humble try to share these with people at large through my films.”

With superhit Punjabi films, such as Jatt James Bond, Sardaarji and Sardaarji 2 to his credit, Rohit now brings another real story from a small town of Punjab, this time however as a producer. Rohit opens his gunny bag for upcoming Punjabi film Khido Khundi based on Punjab’s most loved game, Hockey. The film is being made under the banner of Kuausmedia Entertainment and Rohit Jugraj. The film is being co-produced by Sagoon Wagh and directed by Sartaj Singh Pannu.

Rohit, who is known as one of the initial directors to have floated the subject of Battle Of Saragarhi has now picked up sports as his next project. “Khido Khundi will be the first Punjabi film that will be based on hockey and will document the glorious past of the game, the ‘small’ village — Sansarpur on the outskirts of Jalandhar, which has a big name for producing as many as 14 Hockey Olympians and much more,” shares Jugraj.

Rohit, along with his team has been moving around in Punjab to spot the right locations for the shoot. As to what drew him to hockey or the real story is the small village Sansarpur. “Not many would know that this barely 100 yard village has produced 14 Olympians, nine played for India, four for Kenya and one even played for Olympics in Canada. Sadly, this Mecca of hockey has stopped producing hockey players, which is a matter of concern.”

Through the film, Rohit is trying in some way to preserve the future of this place. Khido Khundi is an emotional story of two brothers something that Punjabi cinema hasn’t witnessed. In addition to this, the film also raises questions like why the level of Hockey has gone down so much in the country, despite having examples like the ‘Sansarpur phenomena’ in the game.

While this director-cum-producer will ensure that the entire treatment to the film is as real as possible, Jugraj is also open to the idea of giving real hockey players roles in the film along with star cast of course.

“When I was researching and working on Battle Of Saragarhi, I would always feel that those 21 soldiers are watching over me, and this time, I would have the entire hockey fraternity seeing what we are up to, it is a big responsibility,” he shares quoting words of Sadhguru, “responsibility means being able to respond to whatever situation you may face in life.”

[email protected]