Ahead of polls, Punjab ropes in Om Puri to promote schemes

CHANDIGARH: Desperately looking to unseat Congress from urban constituencies in 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the Akali Dal-BJP government has picked up Patiala-raised Bollywood actor Om Puri to add both a dash of Punjabi and oomph to its popular tax schemes.
The deal with Puri was signed for Rs 25 lakh for each campaign while the shooting was completed in three weeks by a Mumbai-based production firm Sobo Films, which charged the Punjab government Rs 45 lakh.
Puri, who studied in Patiala district's Sanaur town for 12 years before finishing his education from Khalsa College in Patiala, signed the four-television campaign deal with the Punjab government in December last year. The campaigns, run by the excise and taxation department of Punjab, include: Single stage and Rahat scheme for trades, voluntary disclosure scheme, social security scheme for providing insurance to traders and star rating scheme for refunds.
The actor, known for his hard-hitting portrayal of an armed separatist in Gulzaar's Maachis - a film on Punjab post-1984 riots - will be seen in both Hindi and English versions of these campaigns beginning February 13 in theatres and TV channels.
The shooting took place at Ludhiana, Kurali and Mohali. Puri, who had once joined Congress in 2004, had raised a storm in 2011 when he dubbed MPs "illiterate" at an anti-corruption rally. He had later tendered an unconditional apology to the Parliament.
"The decision to rope in Puri was taken by the financial commissioner. The campaign would also be replicated in print but they will not feature Puri," said a senior excise and taxation officer in Chandigarh.
The actor, who got nostalgic while shooting at the busy locales of Punjab, was thrilled at his new association.
"I am a professional when it comes to acting. But I couldn't resist taking extra days off and spending time with the locals, regaling them with the tales of old Punjab when trains were only common mode of transport."
In 2012, the actor had met Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal to seek his help to promote Punjabi theatre at Harpal Tiwana Centre for Performing Arts in Patiala.