Udta Punjab

Awards

Song Awards:
• 2016 - IIFA Awards - Best Female Playback Singer - Darr Da Da Dasse - Kanika Kapoor

Trivia

Album

• The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) came under criticism when it awarded the film an 'A' certificate and asked for 13 changes in it. The film told the story of the scourge of drugs in the state of Punjab. Producer Anurag Kashyap took to social media to complain about CBFC's suggestions saying that the 13 changes would result in 94 cuts in the film. Among other things, the CBFC had asked for the removal of references to Punjab and places in Punjab, a long list of expletives and abusive language, as well as references to terms related to government and elections. The matter became a hotly debated political issue. The ruling Akali Dal - BJP alliance claimed that the film defamed Punjab and was an attempt to influence the Punjab state elections due in a few months. On the other hand, AAP and the Congress party accused the NDA government of abusing power to curb free speech. The makers of the film moved to Bombay High Court seeking redressal. After hearing the case, the High Court cleared the film with just one cut - that of the scene showing Shahid Kapur's character urinating at the audience during a show. Petitions were also filed with the Supreme Court as well as with the Punjab and Haryana High Court to stay the film's release. The Supreme Court refused to stay the film's release and asked the petitioner to approach the state High Court. The Punjab and Haryana High Court cleared the film after viewing it. The film received its release certificate shortly thereafter. The Shiromani Akali Dal - BJP alliance lost heavily in Punjab state elections held in February 2017. One of the key reasons for their defeat was said to be the perception that their government had failed to check the state's drug problem. The Information & Broadcasting (I&B) ministry fired the CBFC chief Pahlaj Nihalani the next year. In an interview he gave shortly after that, Nihalani claimed that the I&B ministry had directed him to hold up the release of this film.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]
• The film broke the record for the Hindi film industry's most expensive music deal. Zee Music Company purchased its music rights for over Rs. 18 crores. This was a crore more than the value of the music deal signed for "Prem Ratan Dhan Payo" (2015).[11][12]
• It was reported that the lead actors of the film, Shahid Kapur, Kareena Kapoor Khan, and Alia Bhatt, were so impressed by the film's script that they took only half their regular fees for it.[13]
• The film's producers filed a police complaint after an unauthorised copy of the film was uploaded to file-sharing websites just before its release.[14]
• Alia Bhatt's character in the film was named Mary Jane, a sobriquet for marijuana.
• Months after the film's release, there were allegations that many aspects of the film were plagiarised from the novel "High Society" (2002) by the English author Ben Elton. The film's writer Sudip Sharma acknowledged that he had read the book but that it was "a long time ago" and he "didn't remember most of it".[15]
• This was Punjabi singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh's first Hindi film in a lead role. He had made cameo appearances in Hindi films before.

Song

• Ikk Kudi Jida Naam Mohabbat Gum Hai (Club Mix) - This remixed track was not part of the film's original music release on compact discs. It was added later in the digital versions of the album.

1. ^ How censor board made Udta Punjab bleed: Here are all the 94 cuts
2. ^ Politics take flight over Udta Punjab's take on Punjab
3. ^ Udta Punjab makers move Bombay HC, hearing to be held on Thursday
4. ^ Udta Punjab: Court clears film with 1 cut, says it doesn't defame Punjab or encourage drug addiction
5. ^ Udta Punjab's long list of legal troubles
6. ^ SC refuses to stay release of 'Udta Punjab'
7. ^ Punjab And Haryana High Court Clears 'Udta Punjab' For Release
8. ^ Udta Punjab finally gets its censor certificate
9. ^ Election results: 5 reasons why SAD was crushed in Punjab elections
10. ^ Pahlaj Nihalani accuses Smriti Irani, I&B Ministry of being instrumental in his sacking
11. ^ Udta Punjab breaks record of Bollywood's most expensive music deal
12. ^ Prem Ratan Dhan Payo (2015)
13. ^ Udta Punjab actors slash fees by half
14. ^ Udta Punjab leaked online, producers file complaint with cyber police
15. ^ Udta Punjab in plagiarism row; was script copied from Ben Elton's novel High Society?