Yes, life is beautiful

This Patiala bloke has come a long way. From being a black-belt judo champion to siring Punjabi pop to the box-office hit Shaheed-e-Mohabbat.
With his maiden Hindi film Zindagi Khoobsoorat Hai (ZKH), Gurdas Mann now joins mainstream cinema. Starring Tabu, Ashish Vidyarathi, Divya Dutta, Rajat Kapoor, Baby Chandani and Mann, the film is ready for release next month.
As he puts it, ‘‘This film is autobiographical to a large degree. Years ago, after a show in London some mentally damaged children rushed to me. They didn’t understand a thing about my songs, but we had an instant bonding. The gesture touched me. An idea was born.’’ Which was fleshed out by Sooraj Sanim in the form of a script.
‘‘It is a social film in which characters, despite personal tragedies, had hope eternal in their breasts. Every day throws new challenges but they are unfazed,’’ says producer wife Manjit Mann.
The story revolves around Amar (Mann), Shalu (Tabu), Jamila (the retarded girl played by Baby Chandani) and her don father Gul Baloch (Ashish Vidyarathi).
Director Manoj Punj calls it ‘‘the 21st century’’ film. ‘‘Our characters don’t have rigid and orthodox attitudes. What we have highlighted is a saga of internal turmoil and complex human relationships. The don’s mentally challenged daughter had seen Mann on TV. Whenever she is agitated, she demands that Mann be shown on TV. Her father wants that Mann be brought to her. Mann develops fatherly love for her. Meanwhile, he falls in love with Tabu who frequents a bar where Mann is a band boy. As the bonding grows, conflicts also surface.’’
The film is shot in Mumbai, Kulu and Nangal (Punjab). The title song by Udit Narayan sums up the story of the film: life is worth living despite its shortcomings and shattered dreams. ‘Yara Dil Dara’, picturised on Mann and Tabu in the exotic locales of Himachal Pradesh, and sung by Mann with Alka Yagnik keeps you riveted.
Why was Tabu picked up for the lead role? ‘‘Because she looks like a sardarni (after her role in Maachis),’’ laughs Mann.
Correcting himself, he says, ‘‘Tabu has a very wide range. She is great to work with. As for Vidyarathi, he is the BIG BAD boy of Bollywood. He is modest to the core.’’
What after ZKH? ‘‘Wait for that. But right now it is back to music. My next album ‘Pathar Dil’ is getting the final touches. It has robust music,’’ he smiles.