Plot: Udta Punjab has 3 stories revolving around one theme - Drugs
Shahid Kapur & Gang: Shahid Kapoor plays Tommy Singh, a Pop sensation in Punjab whose songs revolve around drugs. Due to his constant intake of cocaine, he loses a music contract and politicians blame him for promoting drugs in Punjab. As a result, his career slumps.
Diljit Dosanjh, Kareena Kapoor & Prabhjyot Singh: Diljit plays Sartaj, a corrupt Police officer who takes bribe from drug peddlers & dealers. His brother Balli (played by Prabhjyot) plays a drug addict and collapses due to an overdose. Kareena plays Dr. Preet who treats Balli. Sartaj realises his mistake and vows to destroy the drug mafia. Kareena joins him and they come closer. Balli is held captive but goes violent because of his urge to take drugs.
Alia Bhatt plays a Bihari migrant worker (no name given to her character) in the agriculture sector of Punjab, she finds 3 kgs cocaine and flees to sell it in order to make quick money but falls in trouble, abducted, drugged, raped and devastated. She tries to flee but in vain. During one of her attempts to flee she meets Tommy Singh who vows to rescue her.
Acting:
Shahid Kapoor does a brilliant job as an extravagant pop singer with his drug themed songs and uttering dialogues like "coke cock coke.,Saamne jo aaye usko thok". His friend looks and acts like a typical punjabi munda.
Kareena Kapoor: She was good enough for the little role that she had to play. Nothing outstanding but a job well done.
Diljit Dosanjh: He brilliantly essays the role of a police officer. He looks real in the character that he portrays and his character is very convincing.
Prabhjyot: You feel sorry for him even after watching him commit a heinous crime under the influence of drugs and subsequent cravings. His acting is commendable. Drug addicts can actually relate to his character.
Alia Bhatt: Udta Punjab works well primarily because of Alia Bhatt. We have 3 types actresses in Bollywood today. 1st Type: "We just can't act" like Katrina Kaif, Jacqueline Fernandez, Sunny Leone etc .. Then the 2nd Type of Actresses "We look good and see we can also act" like Deepika Padukone, Priyanka Chopra, Anushka Sharma, Kareena Kapoor etc and then we have the 3rd Type: "The Performers" like Tabu, Vidya Balan and Kangana Ranaut. Alia Bhatt falls in the 3rd type. She has proved her mettle in a very short period of time. She is a class actress and portrays the role of a Bihari migrant caught in the drug racket so well. She delivers a powerful performance and we won't be surprised if she walks away with all the major awards for her role in this movie. She is a show stealer. From her accent to her body language, she has got it all right.
What's not good: While Alia and Prabhjyot look like real drug addicts from their get up and body language, Shahid's looks too glamorous for a drug addict. Towards the end of the movie, his makeup is perfect but in most of the scenes, he doesn't look like a drug addict at all.
Verdict: Udta Punjab exposes the horrific tragedy of the drug menace in Punjab. The drugs mafia anywhere in the world is a politically supported mafia so Udta Punjab may not be able to put and end to the drug racket but it will certainly create an awareness about drugs. Abhishek Chaubey's direction is perfect, music by Amit Trivedi is apt for a movie of this genre. Like Udta Punjab we also hope an Udta Maharashtra is made depicting the rapidly increasing MDMA/Molly/Ecstacy drug menace in Mumbai.
We give Udta Punjab 4.5 stars and strongly recommend this movie.