''Pataakha'' (; ) is a 2018 Indian
Hindi
Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been de ...
-language
drama film
In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...
produced, written and directed by
Vishal Bhardwaj
Vishal Bhardwaj (born 4 August 1965) is an Indian film director, screenwriter, producer, music composer and playback singer. He is known for his work in Hindi cinema, and is the recipient of seven National Film Awards and a Filmfare Award.
Bha ...
. It stars
Sanya Malhotra
Sanya Malhotra (born 25 February 1992) is an Indian actress who works in Hindi films. She began her career with supporting roles in the biographical sports film '' Dangal'' (2016) and the comedy ''Badhaai Ho'' (2018), both of which rank among t ...
and debutante
Radhika Madan
Radhika Madan (born 1 May 1995) is an Indian actress who works predominantly in Hindi films. After graduating from the Jesus and Mary College, she began her acting career with the television soap opera ''Meri Aashiqui Tum Se Hi'' (2014–2016). ...
. The plot is based on Charan Singh Pathik's short story ''Do Behnein''. It was theatrically released worldwide on 28 September 2018.
Synopsis
Badki and Chhutki live in a small town in Rajasthan. They are sisters who quarrel about everything from stolen
beedi
A beedi (also spelled bidi or biri) is a thin cigarette or mini-cigar filled with tobacco flake and commonly wrapped in a tendu (''Diospyros melanoxylon'') or ''Piliostigma racemosum'' leaf tied with a string or adhesive at one end. It origi ...
to torn clothes. Dipper is their nosy neighbour, who is always on the lookout for an opportunity to make the sisters go to war, while their father, a single parent, is always trying to make peace between the warring sisters.
Cast
*
Radhika Madan
Radhika Madan (born 1 May 1995) is an Indian actress who works predominantly in Hindi films. After graduating from the Jesus and Mary College, she began her acting career with the television soap opera ''Meri Aashiqui Tum Se Hi'' (2014–2016). ...
as Champa 'Badki' Kumari
*
Sanya Malhotra
Sanya Malhotra (born 25 February 1992) is an Indian actress who works in Hindi films. She began her career with supporting roles in the biographical sports film '' Dangal'' (2016) and the comedy ''Badhaai Ho'' (2018), both of which rank among t ...
as Genda 'Chuttki' Kumari
*
Sunil Grover
Sunil Grover (born 3 August 1977) is an Indian actor and comedian from Mumbai. He came into limelight for his portrayal as Gutthi on television show '' Comedy Nights with Kapil'' but gained popularity for playing the role of Dr Mashoor Gulati ...
as Dipper Naradmuni
*
Vijay Raaz
Vijay Raaz (born 5 June 1963) is an Indian actor, film director and narrator, who predominantly appears in Hindi films. He debuted with ''Bhopal Express'' (1999) and since worked in more than 90 films. His breakthrough came when he played the ...
as Shanti Bhushan
*
Lankesh Bhardwaj
''Crime Patrol'' is an Indian crime anthology series created by Subramanian S.lyer for Sony Entertainment Television India and Sony Entertainment Television Asia. The first season was created by Cinevistaas Limited and directed by Anshuman Kisho ...
as Govt. Officer
* Rohit Sukhwani as Champak
*
Saanand Verma
Saanand Verma is an Indian film and television actor
An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, r ...
as Tharki Patel
*
Namit Das
Namit Das (born 10 July 1984) is an Indian film, television, and theatre actor. He has acted in several television commercials. He belongs to a family of musicians and singers; his father is reputed ghazal singer Chandan Dass. His maternal grand ...
as Jagan
* Abhishek Duhan as Vishnu
* Vishal Dahiya
* Sameer Khakkar as Sarpanch
* Usha Nagar as Grandmother
* Dev Rajora as dairy manager
*
Malaika Arora
Malaika Arora (born 23 October 1973) is an Indian actress, dancer, model, VJ and a television personality who appears in Hindi-language films. She made her debut as a film producer in 2008, with her former husband Arbaaz Khan, founding the co ...
(special appearance in song "Hello Hello")
Production
Development
Impressed with Charan Singh Pathik's short story ''Do Behnein'' (Two Sisters) published by Sahitya Kala Academy,
Vishal Bhardwaj
Vishal Bhardwaj (born 4 August 1965) is an Indian film director, screenwriter, producer, music composer and playback singer. He is known for his work in Hindi cinema, and is the recipient of seven National Film Awards and a Filmfare Award.
Bha ...
decided to purchase the rights of the story and turn it into a film. In December 2017 it was reported that
Kriti Sanon
Kriti Sanon (born 27 July 1990) is an Indian actress who works in Hindi and Telugu-language films. After pursuing a degree in engineering from the Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, she briefly worked as a fashion model. Sanon began ...
was the first choice of the director for the role of the younger sister and the actress had even auditioned for the part but talks did not go through. For the role of the elder sister a number of actresses including
Parineeti Chopra
Parineeti Chopra (; born 22 October 1988) is an Indian actress who primarily works in Hindi films. Chopra is a recipient of several accolades, including a Filmfare and a National Film Award. She has appeared in '' Forbes India'' Celebrity 1 ...
,
Bhumi Pednekar
Bhumi Pednekar (born 18 July 1989) is an Indian actress who appears in Hindi films. After working as an assistant casting director at Yash Raj Films for six years, she made her film debut as an overweight bride in the company's romantic come ...
,
Sonakshi Sinha
Sonakshi Sinha (; born 2 June 1987) is an Indian actress who works in Hindi films. After working as a costume designer in independent films, she made her acting with the action film ''Dabangg'' in 2010, which won her the Filmfare Award for Bes ...
,
Vaani Kapoor
Vaani Kapoor (born 23 August 1988) is an Indian actress known for her work in Hindi films. She made her film debut with the 2013 romantic comedy ''Shuddh Desi Romance'', a critical and commercial success, which earned her the Filmfare Award f ...
and
Shraddha Kapoor were auditioned but none of them were finalised. In March 2018, Sanya Malhotra was finalised for the role of Genda Kumari, the younger sister, while in April 2018 television actress
Radhika Madan
Radhika Madan (born 1 May 1995) is an Indian actress who works predominantly in Hindi films. After graduating from the Jesus and Mary College, she began her acting career with the television soap opera ''Meri Aashiqui Tum Se Hi'' (2014–2016). ...
was selected to play Champa Kumari, the elder sister, a role for which over 60 girls were auditioned. On 17 April 2018, it was reported that
Vijay Raaz
Vijay Raaz (born 5 June 1963) is an Indian actor, film director and narrator, who predominantly appears in Hindi films. He debuted with ''Bhopal Express'' (1999) and since worked in more than 90 films. His breakthrough came when he played the ...
and
Sunil Grover
Sunil Grover (born 3 August 1977) is an Indian actor and comedian from Mumbai. He came into limelight for his portrayal as Gutthi on television show '' Comedy Nights with Kapil'' but gained popularity for playing the role of Dr Mashoor Gulati ...
had been signed to be a part of the film. While Vijay was selected to play the role of the father of the two sisters in the film, Sunil's role was described as that of a person who instigates fights between the sisters.
As part of preparation for the role, Sanya Malhotra and Radhika Madan stayed in Ronsi village near
Jaipur
Jaipur (; Hindi Language, Hindi: ''Jayapura''), formerly Jeypore, is the List of state and union territory capitals in India, capital and largest city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Rajasthan. , the city had a pop ...
in
Rajasthan
Rajasthan (; lit. 'Land of Kings') is a state in northern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population. It is on India's northwestern si ...
and apart from learning the
Rajasthani
Rajasthani may refer to:
* something of, from, or related to Rajasthan, a state of India
* Rajasthani languages, a group of languages spoken there
* Rajasthani people, the native inhabitants of the region
* Rajasthani architecture
* Rajasthani art ...
dialect, the actresses also got accustomed with milking Buffaloes, thatching roofs, plastering the walls with dung and walking for long distances while balancing
''matkas'' full of water on their head and one around their waist. Sanya and Radhika also had to put on 10 kgs of weight for the second part of the story where both of them are married and have a child each. Initially the film was titled ''Chhuriyaan'' () but was later on changed to ''Pataakha'' () because Bhardwaj felt it might confuse the audience considering the multiple meanings that can be derived from it if not pronounced correctly.
Filming
The
principal photography
Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production.
Personnel
Besides the main film personnel, such as actor ...
of the film began in
Udaipur
Udaipur () (ISO 15919: ''Udayapura''), historically named as Udayapura, is a city and municipal corporation in Udaipur district of the state of Rajasthan, India. It is the administrative headquarter of Udaipur district. It is the historic capit ...
,
Rajasthan
Rajasthan (; lit. 'Land of Kings') is a state in northern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population. It is on India's northwestern si ...
at the end of April 2018. The first schedule of the film came to an end on 16 May 2018. The final schedule of filming began in
Mount Abu
Mount Abu () is a hill station in the Aravalli Range in Sirohi district of the state of Rajasthan in western India.The mountain forms a rocky plateau 22 km long by 9 km wide. The highest peak on the mountain is Guru Shikhar at above s ...
on 29 June 2018
and was completed on 12 July 2018. The item song featuring Malaika Arora and choreographed by
Ganesh Acharya
Ganesh Acharya is an Indian choreographer, film director, and actor who prominently works in Bollywood.
He won the National Film Award for Best Choreography for his work on the songs "Hawan Kund" from Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013) and "Gori tu lat ...
was filmed towards the end of August.
Soundtrack
The music of the film has been composed by
Vishal Bhardwaj
Vishal Bhardwaj (born 4 August 1965) is an Indian film director, screenwriter, producer, music composer and playback singer. He is known for his work in Hindi cinema, and is the recipient of seven National Film Awards and a Filmfare Award.
Bha ...
, while the lyrics have been written by
Gulzar
Sampooran Singh Kalra (born 18 August 1934), known professionally as Gulzar, is an Indian Urdu poet, lyricist, author, screenwriter, and film director known for his works in Hindi cinema. He is regarded as one of greatest Urdu poets of this ...
.
References
External links
*
*
{{Vishal Bhardwaj
Films directed by Vishal Bhardwaj
Films based on short fiction
2010s Hindi-language films
Indian comedy-drama films
Indian black comedy films
Films set in Rajasthan
Films shot in Rajasthan