It should be an emotionally raw family drama. It should also have several electrifying fight sequences that make for a strapping entertainment. And yes, it should strictly focus on its male characters. Much like any intense film exploring the different facets of brotherhood, actor Mukul Dev’s upcoming Punjabi film ‘Shareek’ is high on treachery, whips up both emotions and drama (at least, that’s what the promos promise), and is significant for the strong message that it sends out.
Aware of the fact that property rows happen across the strata, right from the low-income families to ultra rich households, Mukul begins the interview by giving a clear definition of the film’s title. “Shareek is an Urdu word which refers to brotherhood. But if issues such as land disputes, fights over the same woman take a toll on the relationship, it is referred to as Shareek-e-baazi (ruination of brotherhood). These issues are prevalent in the northern part of India, including the villages in Punjab, where people are still trapped in their feudal mindsets. Since land is a very important factor in Punjab, property disputes are a common occurrence there. This isn’t the film which will be known for its budget. Even though it is a rural story it has been presented with excellent camerawork. When you will watch the film, you will understand this."
Besides showing how the land disputes adversely affect several lives, the film has a meaningful message embedded in it. “You have to watch the film to understand the message that it puts across subtly. It delves into the futility of the enmity amongst brothers over land. It elucidate that land isn’t something one can take along after death. So what’s the need to fight to satisfy our lives with materialistic pleasures?"
Mukul’s idea of living a less materialistic lifestyle might not be that of becoming a monk and desisting from life’s pleasures, but it is still very clear. The actor believes in shifting his focus away from materialistic pleasures so that it becomes less important in contrast. “The best way to survive in a materialistic world is by keeping yourself away from such things. To me relationships matter the most. I focus more on my mother, family and that’s how I maintain a safe distance from the need to acquire other things. And because we are living in a fact-paced world, where money governs everything, we end up doing wrong things. While the people in urban cities can take a legal way to handle such situations, back in small villages in Punjab, people solve such matters on their own, which is why things worsen."
Having worked with filmmakers such as Pooja Bhatt, Meghna Gulzar and Tanuja Chandra, Mukul is aware of the aspects that make them so different yet influential. “I have known Pooja since 1995. In the 20 years that I have known her, I can say actor Pooja is impressive in the manner in which she approaches scenes. It is so different, not clichéd at all. She could just not sit still. She would always be talking about the different ways it could be approached. I have also witnessed her passion as a producer. Pooja’s choice of her actors are also not clichéd. She doesn’t go with an actor’s salebility. If she finds someone perfect for the character, she gets that actor."
As Mukul tells us, Meghna stands in stark contrast to Pooja. “I have worked with Meghna Gulzar. She is completely opposite to Pooja. She is very subtle and sensitive in the way she handles her scenes. Before I worked with Meghna, I had done a film with Tanuja Chandra. She would shout a lot and even give me a harmless tap to say ‘maarongi tumhe’. So it is nice to see how each of these female directors have been powerful in their genres."
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