Mind game

We have all heard of Alzheimer’s disease, a progressive brain disorder that slowly destroys the memory. But what if a person starts showing symptoms of the disease during the early thirties? An upcoming Punjabi film titled Alzheimer deals with the subject, and the cast got candid during an interaction at the Press Club on Wednesday.

Actor Bhinda Aujla, who is also debuting as director with this film , is hopeful that this message-oriented subject will ignite interest in the audience.

The OTT film, which is releasing today on Chaupal, also stars actors, Harman Bhullar, Surbhi Mahendru and Puneet Kaur. Written by Sapinder Singh, Bhinda related to the subject because he had seen his grandparents suffering from memory loss. He said, “Almost 70 per cent of the film is shot in Canada and rest of the scenes are based in a village named Chankoian Kalan. We have done intense research on the topic and how lifestyle changes can help. Everyone knows it as a disease that one can be plagued by during old age, but there are rare cases of it affecting youngsters as well. The character that I play also finds it hard to process that he has the disease. Another actress, Puneet, has been taking care of Alzehimer’s patients in Canada and had first-hand experience. She helped a lot during the shooting process.”

Harman Bhullar, who is also a part of the film, said she first got a break as a model in a Punjabi song. “To get to play a small part in renowned singer Satinder Sartaaj’s song, Baari Khohl, was a huge moment for me. But it was MS Dhoni’s biopic that inspired me to follow what I love. That film really moved me to work towards what brings me happiness — acting.”

On the other hand, Bhinda has always had interest in acting. However, he complains, “Not many big names from the industry come in support of a new actor or director.” A Punjabi who moved to Canada for higher studies, he has four more projects in the pipeline. Out of them, one is a web series titled Kasba Singhai Kheri and also a film Vadda Ghar. As to why he chose OTT for his debut as director, Bhinda says, “It’s because I have also made this film for the elderly people, who might not be able to go to the theatre. I wanted to reach out to as many people as I could. Moreover, it’s a film that should be watched with the family to understand the nuances of this disease and how it affects the family.”