Gippy goes all the way…

Mona

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When popular Pollywood star Gippy Grewal takes his songs and films abroad, he often hears the complaint–no one shows what real Punjab is like. This led this actor-singer to think about making a ‘real’ film. Only, no writer was ready to take that chance nor any producer to back it, nor a director to take the reins. Not willing to give up, Gippy sat down writing a story that’s set in today’s milieu. Not wanting much interference from producer on putting ‘commercial’ elements, he put in his own money and also donned the director’s hat. As Ardaas gets ready to hit the screens, Gippy Grewal opens up on the journey. “It’s a film that depicts —loud tastes, rich culture marred by drugs, farmer suicides and female foeticide.”

The film took a year-and-half of his life, but going by the initial response, Gippy is a happy man. His team is inundated with queries from not the usual Punjabi film territories like Indonesia and Spain. “We are still learning the ropes on the procedure to send the prints,” he smiles. A people’s man that he is, in an overcrowded cubicle, he wouldn’t let anyone go unattended. A picture here, an interview there, bite and more, he is the one to take everyone along that explains the huge line of fans outside the Burger King, some of them waiting even before the store was open.

Lean and fit actor, tying up with a fast food giant? “I am a huge foodie, and in love with fast food.” We are not ready to believe. “It was only for Faraar that I took a break from food. I needed six packs for that, I don’t have any of it now,” he convinces.

When set his heart onto something, Gippy isn’t the one to budge. “For Faraar, my trainer said, ‘sugar is poison for us’, and despite of having a super sweet tooth, I gave up sugar in every form. Now, I can eat whatever I want,” he says while sipping water.

Mention of Faraar takes him back to Ardaas. “Faraar was the film where look mattered. It had to be ‘ghaint’. In Ardaas, it’s the content. ”

The film has Ammy Virk, Gurpreet Ghuggi, Mandy Takhar, Rana Ranbir and Sardar Sohi and also Gippy too in its ensemble cast. “Mine is a small role,” he brushes it aside. “Often we make our children memorise lessons but not make them understand; both my sons are regular at ‘paath’ but what’s more important is that one follows the path shown in Gurbani,” says Gippy.

Challenges are part of life . “One can continue the blame game— drugs come form here, he is the supplier–but, by the end of the day, the hands that accept drugs are yours. If I lose hope after a flop, then it’s weakness in my character. True human spirit is to acknowledge the fears and face them.”

mona@tribunemail.com