Recently, the cast of “Ni Main Sass Kuttni 2” embarked on a promotional tour in Delhi’s Le Meridien.
In an exclusive interaction with Seema Dhawan , actors Gurpreet Ghuggi, Tanvi Negi, Mehtab Virk, Anita Devgan, and Director Mohit Banwait, share insights into the film’s storyline, their characters, and the challenges faced during production.
Photography -Jagjeet Singh
The film “Ni Main Sass Kuttni2” is the much-anticipated sequel to the popular “Ni Main Sass Kuttni1.”
Director Mohit Banwait: Unveiling the Inspiration Behind the Sequel
Banwait shares his insights, revealing how his personal experiences post-marriage influenced the sequel’s narrative. He sheds light on the challenges faced by men in marital dynamics, advocating for a balanced approach.
“During part 1, I was not married, so I didn’t have personal experience with relationships. I thought, why not share my experiences after getting married since I gained a lot of insights? Then I realized that whatever I missed, I should include now. The film depicts my struggles and agonies as a married man.”
Banwait elaborates on the challenges faced by men after marriage, stating, “The boy’s situation is the worst. Women can express themselves and then stay quiet, but for men, it’s different. In their minds, they worry about conflicts with their wife and mother, which may lead to depression if not handled very carefully. When a man goes to work, he’s constantly thinking about avoiding conflicts at home. A man’s role is crucial; if he’s weak, there can be disputes and even divorce at home. If he’s not strong, everything falls apart.”
He continues, “Let me share my strategy with everyone. Don’t interfere in the matters of either your mother or your wife. Most husbands tell their wives after marriage, ‘Don’t say anything to my mother, just listen to everything.’ But I did the opposite. I told my wife, ‘If my mother says something to you, you should speak up too. You should resolve it between yourselves and not come to me with complaints. If you come to me with complaints, I will have to react.'”
Anita Devgan:Delving into Personal Reflections
Reflecting on her portrayal of the mother-in-law, Devgan juxtaposes her reel and real-life experiences, offering a glimpse into her portrayal’s depth and authenticity. “My mother-in-law is very kind, a simple person from the village. I consider myself very unfortunate that I haven’t had such an experience of the dispute between a mother in law and a daughter in law,” she adds. “However, I believe I have depicted many aspects of a mother-in-law’s character in this film. Whatever personal experiences I didn’t have, I included in this movie. In the end, there is a sense of positivity in the film that everyone will take away. It was a mind-changer.”
Tanvi Negi -the Real VS Reel
Negi contrasts her on-screen persona with her true self, teasing about the suspense surrounding the court battle in the film and her intriguing horror-comedy role. Her role as a daughter in law who portrays a lawyer in the film, contrasts her on-screen character with her real-life persona. “Personally, my character on screen is very different from who I am in real life. I always speak unfiltered, saying whatever is on my mind. In the film, I play the role of a lawyer standing against my mother-in-law in court.”
When asked about the outcome of the court battle, Negi teases, “You’ll have to watch the film to find out. Our film’s results will be out on June 7. We’ve also incorporated a horror-comedy segment into the movie. In that segment, I play the character of a ghost. I had a lot of fun scaring everyone on set. My horror look in the film is amazing. Our makeup and costume team did such a fantastic job that I believe this look has never been seen in Punjabi films before. I hope everyone likes my look. I even managed to scare Anita ma’am with it. When the film releases, I plan to release a video on social media, so I am very excited for the film’s release.”
Gurpreet Ghuggi’s Genre Preferences
Gurpreet Ghuggi, a versatile actor and a significant name in the Punjabi industry, discusses his genre preferences, underlining the importance of connecting with characters and themes that strike a chord with him.”Whatever resonates with my heart, and if my mind signals that I should do it, I go for it. For example, I’m not comfortable with negative roles. I’ve been offered negative characters many times and was told not to worry about the money. They wanted to shock the audience by showing I could play grey shades and believed I was quite apt for those roles. However, negativity just doesn’t come out of me naturally. I was, and still am, very bad at playing romantic characters; that’s not my genre. I prefer family dramas, serious dramas, emotional roles, comedies, and thrillers. These are my favorites, and I feel quite comfortable in all these genres.”
Navigating through the Entertainment Industry
Reflecting on his journey, Ghuggi provides a roadmap for aspiring artists, highlighting the significance of continuous growth and adaptability in the entertainment industry.”I started with Doordarshan, doing small plays and skits. Slowly, I moved to satellite channels and then into cinema. I appeared on the Great Indian Laughter Challenge and eventually reached the top level of Punjabi cinema. The key is to keep working hard and moving forward. Don’t consider any step as your final podium. Always look for the next step. Life’s journey should remain continuous, maintaining the flow and the zest for living.”
Chronicles of the Shoot: Capturing the Mix of Moments
Director Mohit Banwait recounts a challenging episode during the shoot, narrating the team’s resilience in rebuilding the set amidst adversity.
“We had a problematic situation during the shoot in Ropar, Punjab. The set was a house I had invested a lot in and made it very beautiful. However, a massive storm hit Punjab, and our set was completely destroyed. We only had one day to complete the shoot, and postponing was not an option. Our team of 50-60 people worked tirelessly through the night to rebuild the set. This challenging situation will always stay with me, seeing how 50-60 people worked overnight so we could continue shooting.”
Adding a humorous twist, Ghuggi reminisces about the unexpected turn of events during the shoot, infusing levity into the daunting situation.”I faced a loss too. The next day, when their set was destroyed, I knew shooting wouldn’t happen, so I accepted another program to earn some money. To my surprise, they managed to rebuild the set overnight. I didn’t know this would happen, so I had to cancel the other program, resulting in a loss for me.”
Mehtab Virk reminisces about lighter moments on set, emphasizing the camaraderie and laughter shared among the team over a special dish…Bhein/Kamal Kakrhi (Lotus Stem)
“We enjoyed our time on set. We used to have lunch together and even had a special dish made. There was a lot of discussion about bhen sabzi (lotus stem) on the sets.
Ghuggi chimes in, “No one had heard of this dish, and I found myself trying to convince them of its existence. For several days, my efforts went in vain until the caterer reassured them, ‘Yes, Bhen is indeed a dish, and it’s incredibly delicious when prepared.’ I urged the caterer to bring it. He kept promising he would serve it the next day, but he didn’t show up because he had gone to his relatives’ house. The following day, he said he went to the vegetable market but couldn’t find it. He kept us all waiting for six days. Finally, one day, the dish made its appearance.was made, and everyone ate it. I felt a great relief and satisfaction seeing everyone enjoy the dish.” The whole team agrees and burst into laughter…
Envisioning the Future
Ghuggi and Banwait envision a promising future for Punjabi cinema, aiming for global recognition and hoping for Bollywood’s homage to Punjabi storytelling.Looking ahead expressing his optimism for the future of Punjabi cinema,the Versatile actor expresses, “Our next target is to make it to Hollywood, to give interviews in English and see each other’s faces there when they ask questions in English and we don’t know how to respond,” he shares in a lighter vein. “That’s the next step for us. “
The director adds, “In Bollywood, there are many remakes of South Indian films, like ‘Tere Naam’ and ‘Munna Bhai M.B.B.S.’ My desire is for Bollywood to make a remake of a Punjabi film.
As a Punjabi myself, I aspire to witness the continual growth and success of Punjabi cinema. My desires are wholly dedicated to seeing Punjabi cinema flourish. It is my hope that not only Bollywood but also Hollywood finds inspiration in Punjabi cinema’s achievements.
