''Munde U.K. De'' (), distributed in

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

-speaking territories with the additional tagline "British by Right, Punjabi by Heart!," is a Punjabi

film A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

by writer-director

Manmohan Singh Manmohan Singh (; born 26 September 1932) is an Indian politician, economist and statesman who served as the 13th prime minister of India from 2004 to 2014. He is also the third longest-serving prime minister after Jawaharlal Nehru and Indir ...

. The movie stars

Jimmy Sheirgill Jimmy Sheirgill (born Jasjit Singh Gill; 3 December 1970), also credited as Jimmy Shergill, is an Indian actor and film producer who works in Hindi and Punjabi films. Sheirgill began his film career with the 1996 thriller ''Maachis''. His bre ...

Amrinder Gill Amrinder Singh Gill () is an Indian actor, singer, songwriter, and film producer who makes Punjabi-language films and music. He has been nominated for twenty-four PTC Punjabi Film Awards, winning seven including three for Best Actor, and two ...

Neeru Bajwa Neeru Bajwa (born 26 August 1975) is a Canadian actress, director and producer who has mainly worked in Punjabi and Hindi films. She started her career in 1998 with Dev Anand's Bollywood film '' Main Solah Baras Ki'' and then moved on to work ...

Rana Ranbir Rana Ranbir Singh is an Indian Punjabi actor working in Punjabi cinema and Hindi cinema. Early life and education After completing a bachelor's degree from Desh Bhagat College Dhuri, he received a postgraduate degree in theater and television fr ...

, and

Gurpreet Ghuggi Gurpreet Singh Waraich (born 19 July 1971), commonly known as Gurpreet Ghuggi, is an Indian actor, comedian and politician. He is known for his works in Punjabi and Hindi films. Ghuggi began his career by acting in theatre in the early 1990s, ...

. It was released in India 8 May 2009, and in

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

, US, on 22 May 2009,''L.A. Weekly'': "Movies"
/ref> among other territories. It has a running time of 149 minutes.

Plot

Two young Punjabi-

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

men visit their homeland, Punjab: Roop Singh (

), comes to see his grandfather, Gurdit Singh (Arun Bali) and Roop's touristy pal DJ (

) comes to see how Punjab is like. Roop meets Reet Brar (

), a university classmate of his cousin Deepi's, and falls for her, and DJ falls for brainy, Kulwant Kaur (Akshita Vasudeva), another classmate. Roop agrees to let his aunt be his matchmaker and set up an arranged marriage for himself and Reet, but the modern-thinking Reet wants no part of what she considers outmoded provincialism. Her father (

Deep Dhillon Deep Dhillon is an Indian actor who works in Hindi and Punjabi cinema. He played the role of Jayadratha in the famous Indian TV serial ''Mahabharat'' and appeared as Sahasrarjun in the TV serial '' Vishnu Puran''. He is known for playing Ins ...

) angrily sets up an arranged marriage for her with Jagjot Gill (debut of singer

,). Reet, however, reconsiders and realizes she loves Roop after all, and Kulwant falls for DJ too. Reet tells Jagjot, that she loves Roop a lot, so to help the lovers Jagjot says he's not ready to get married. After this incident no boy will marry Reet so, Reet's father and her ne'er-do-well brother, Jaile (

Binnu Dhillon Binnu Dhillon (born 29 August 1975) is an Indian actor who is known for his roles in Punjabi cinema and Hindi films . Early life and education Dhillon was born on 29 August 1975 in Dhuri, Sangrur, Punjab, where he did his schooling from Guru ...

), devise a plan to figure out if Roop really loves Reet: Her father will give his consent if Roop can find a British bride for Jaile, which will prove that Roop is ready to do anything for Reet. DJ calls in an old girlfriend from UK, party girl, Candy (Khushboo), who flies in to help. They plan a scheme which will scare Jaile away. Candy acts like a traditional, Punjabi girl, and wins Jaile's heart, so they fix, Roop and Reet's and Jaile and Candy's engagement for the same day. Candy tells Kulwant that DJ was in many relationships with many different girls, since she still loves DJ. After hearing this, Kulwant is heart-broken, and leaves DJ. Day before the engagement Candy reveals how modern girls really are, by bringing Jaila to a pub. On the engagement day Jaile runs away. Candy tells DJ, that if he doesn't sit in Jaile's spot, she will reveal the truth. So to help out his friend, DJ and Candy get engaged and so do Roop and Reet. Overseeing all the

rom-com Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a subgenre of comedy and slice of life fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount most obstacles. In a typica ...

complications is Khoji (comedian

, who wrote the film's dialog, with story supplied by the film's

director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''Di ...

cinematographer The cinematographer or director of photography (sometimes shortened to DP or DOP) is the person responsible for the photographing or recording of a film, television production, music video or other live action piece. The cinematographer is the ch ...

), the house manager for the well-to-do grandfather's estate and staff.

Cast

- Roop Singh *

- Reet Brar *

– DJ *Akshita Vasudeva—Kulwant Kaur *

– Jagjot Gill *

– Mr. Brar *Sunita Dheer- Mrs. Brar *

Arun Bali Arun Bali (23 December 1942 – 7 October 2022) was an Indian actor who has worked in numerous films and television series. He played the part of King Porus in the 1991 period drama ''Chanakya (TV series), Chanakya'', Kunwar Singh in the Door ...

– Gurdit Singh *

– Khoji, the house manager *

Khushboo Grewal Khushboo Grewal (born 16 January 1984) also known as Khushboo Kochhar is an Indian playback singer and actress. She began her career as a VJ on B4U and then moved to Punjabi and Hindi films as an actor. She has acted in movies such as Raaz ...

– Candy *

- Jaile Brar, Reet's brother *Teenu Sharma - Deepi, Roop's cousin *Kulbir Badesron - Roop's aunt *Atro - Old lady on tractor

Release

''Munde U.K. De'' was released in India 8 May 2009, and in Canada, the UK, Australia, the United States and other territories on 22 May 2009. In India the Response of Munde U.K De was strong and first-day shows sold out, earning Rs 12.5 crore in the first two weeks of release. Due to this response, ''Munde U.K De'' was released overseas with 36 prints, and it became a blockbuster, with a gross of Rs 26.9 crore in just the month of May alone. (The film's budget was Rs 4.5 crore.)

Crew

Production companies: Mukutwalas in association with Punj-Aab Movie International * Story, Director, Cinematographer:

* Dialogue:

* Producer: Kamal Mukut * Music:

Sukshinder Shinda Sukshinder Shinda (born Sukshinder Pal Singh Bhullar, Punjabi: ਸੁਖਸ਼ਿੰਦਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਭੁੱਲਰ) is a British-Indian playback singer-songwriter and bhangra Record producer from Handsworth in Birmingham, England. Since ...

, Babloo Kumar *Lyrics:

Babu Singh Maan Babu Singh Maan, also known as Maan Maraarhan Wala, is an Indian songwriter/lyricist of Punjabi-language folk songs. He penned the first song of singer Kuldeep Manak's career. Early life Maan was born on 10 October 1942, to father S. Inder Sin ...

, Amarjit Musapuria,

*Background score: Anjar Biswas *Editor: Bunty Negi *Singers:

Sunidhi Chauhan Sunidhi Chauhan (pronounced ; born 14 August 1983) is an Indian playback singer. Born in Delhi, she began performing in local gatherings at the age of 5 and made her career debut at the age of 13, with the film ''Shastra'' (1996). During the ye ...

Jasbir Jassi Jasbir Singh Bains (born 7 February 1970), better known by his stage name Jasbir Jassi, is an Indian singer, lyricist, performer and actor. he has released thirteen albums, his first pop album being ''Dil Le Gayee'', released in 1998 with Time ...

Sardool Sikander Sardool Sikander (15 January 1961 – 24 February 2021) was an Indian singer associated with Punjabi-language folk and pop music, who made his first appearances on radio and television in the early 1980s with his introductory album, "Roadways ...

Ravinder Grewal Ravinder Grewal (born 28 March 1963) is an Indian singer and actor. He has produced a Punjabi-language film, '' Raula Pai Gaya'', through his own production house. In 2015, he featured in the legal comedy '' Judge Singh LLB''. His most popular ...

Labh Janjua Labh Janjua (1957 – 22 October 2015) was an Indian bhangra vocalist and songwriter, best known for his bhangra and hip hop songs, such as "Bair Bura Hunda Jatt da", "Jatt Di Nazar Buri", "Goli Jatt Ne Katcheri'ch Chaloni ", "Jatt Marda", " ...

, Sudesh Kumari,

Miss Pooja Gurinder Kaur Kainth, popularly known by her stage name Miss Pooja is an Indian singer and actress who primarily sings Punjabi songs in Bhangra, Pop and Folk genres. Personal life Miss Pooja was born to Inderpal Kainth and Saroj Devi, a fam ...

. * Chief assistance Director :Sudhir Kumar * Assistant Director : Vakil Singh

Soundtrack

Source: H. S. Communication press release

Reception

R. Paul Dhillon of the

Vancouver, British Columbia Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...

arts and entertainment website Straight.com (Actor

is Vancouver-raised), bemoaned "a lame plot and largely clichéd characters", and called it "another half-baked NRIs-in-the-Punjab tale", using the abbreviation for non-resident Indian, while he did praise "Ghuggi, who’s become Punjabi cinema's version of

Jim Carrey James Eugene Carrey (; born January 17, 1962) is a Canadian-American actor, comedian and artist. Known for his energetic slapstick performances, Carrey first gained recognition in 1990, after landing a role in the American sketch comedy te ...

", for "a very nuanced and controlled performance, right down to the accent and mannerisms of Indo-British lads".

Frank Lovece Frank Lovece () is an American journalist and author, and a comic book writer primarily for Marvel Comics, where he and artist Mike Okamoto created the miniseries ''Atomic Age''. His longest affiliation has been with the New York metropolitan ar ...

of ''

Film Journal International ''Film Journal International'' was a motion-picture industry trade magazine published by the American company Prometheus Global Media. It was a sister publication of ''Adweek'', '' Billboard'', ''The Hollywood Reporter'', and other periodicals. H ...

'' concurred, saying the "unexceptional romantic comedy won't turn any U.S. cineastes into

Punjwood Punjabi cinema, sometimes metonymously referred to as Pollywood or Punjwood is the Punjabi-language film industry centered around the Indian state of Punjab, and based in Amritsar and Mohali. The cinema of Punjab has its beginnings with th ...

aficionados, and lacks the production values and star power

Indian-American Indian Americans or Indo-Americans are citizens of the United States with ancestry from India. The United States Census Bureau uses the term Asian Indian to avoid confusion with Native Americans, who have also historically been referred to ...

audiences have come to expect. ... The movie has modest charms ... but they're often drowned out by a bombastically melodramatic score, and lots of sitting-around-talking scenes with go-nowhere dialogue". Singah, he wrote, "shoots with dull, flattened lighting far removed from Bollywood's typical crystalline sheen".

Maitland McDonagh Maitland McDonagh () is an American film critic and the author of several books about cinema. She is the author of ''Broken Mirrors/Broken Minds: The Dark Dreams of Dario Argento'' (1991) and works of erotic fiction and erotic cinema, as well a ...

of MissFlickChick.com took a middle ground, calling the film "overlong, painfully clichéd but occasionally surprisingly sly and clever". Despite these negative reviews it seems to have done very well at the box office

Sequel

In February 2014 it was announced that there would be a sequel to ''Munde U.K. De'', entitled '' Aa Gaye Munde U.K. De''. The movie marks the third time a Punjabi film has had a sequel made. The film is releasing on 8 August 2014 and was featuring much of the same cast, including of

and crew of the first film.

References

{{reflist

External links

Southern, Nathan. ''All Movie Guide'' Overview: ''Munde UK de''
Punjabi-language Indian films 2000s Punjabi-language films