3 hours and you just can’t take your eyes off this well-formed gripping tale, ‘Udta Punjab’. One word that we would say to the director of the movie Abhishek Chaubey is “KUDOS”! The movie targets a dark reality of our country, and the way the writer has penned down the story you are bound to fall in love with it. An intense story and a reality so appalling - both have been beautifully cast upon the minds of audiences, transporting them to the land of drugs.  The bravest film that every Indian should watch is ‘Udta Punjab’.  Yes, you will see galore of cuss dialogues in the film, but without them the authenticity of the film would not have come out.  It’s unpleasant how the censor board was stopping us from witnessing such a startling movie that explores the state of youth. The team has put in all the mighty to put the best forth. The stars completely nail their performances and get into the skin of the characters. And how can we forget to thank Abhishek Chaubey for giving us a movie that is an eye-opener.  The plot has not been beaten around the bush, rather has uncovered the dingy holes where the future is lying dead. A MUST WATCH!

Abhishek Chaubey's Udta Punjab is littered with standout scenes, but none matches the sledgehammer impact of the climax. Sudden, quick on the draw and stunningly to the point, it brings the curtains down on a profane, dystopic vision of a state that was once India's bread basket but is today burdened with a whole slew of problems, not the least of which are the horrific repercussions of narco-terror. Chaubey tells his powerful, sinewy story with great dramatic flair, but he never ventures too far away from the harsh reality of the nexus between the drug kingpins and the state's politicians. What it achieves in the process is real emotional traction. As the three flawed figures - a wayward pop singer, a poor farm hand done in by desperation and a cop uneasy with the compromises he makes - fight to rise above the despair surrounding them, they emerge as people worth rooting for. At two-and-a-half hours, Udta Punjab is an overlong film, but almost every scene, jointly written by Sudip Sharma and director Abhishek Chaubey, demands attention and propels the story forward. As the film hurtles towards its climax, we see the male protagonist in winged shoes, but limping. On the other hand, a tourism hoarding exhorting people to "go Goa" is the only thing that the entrapped girl can see from the room where she is held captive. The liberal use of cuss words may be too grating for some ears. Udta Punjab is not family entertainment, but it is an undeniably magnificent - and purposeful - commercial Hindi film. Do not miss it.

Udta Punjab truly soars when being its own madcap beast, profane and powerful and preening. Chaubey's film starts off slick, but choppy, the narrative hopping across these compelling characters in a wild, whimsical manner reminiscent of early Guy Ritchie. Unfortunately, the irreverence and narrative bravado is often sidelined by heavy-handed Public Service Announcement style handling.The film is trying to open our eyes to the drug menace, but the first half of the film seems confused about where it is pitched -- dark comedy or preachy drama -- and, as a result, feels a bit long in the tooth. It is in the second half, after the preachiness has made way for plot, that Chaubey's finesse comes to the fore and the film gleams with originality. The leaps forward are unexpected, the narrative choices brave, and the detailing exquisite. Oh, and a word about that music: Woof. Amit Trivedi is a master, Chaubey has a gift for placing music and adding context to moments, and the decision to use Shiv Kumar Batalvi's dazzling poem Ikk Kudi as a literal part of the narrative is a marvellous one. Naturally, this call -- like that of sculpting his idiocy across the side of his own head -- is made by the mad musician. Good on you, Tommy. Rock a doodle doo.

First off, is Udta Punjab worth all the fuss? I’d say, absolutely. Not because it is a perfect film. It has flaws. But this is the kind of film that has something to say, and it says it with both flair and conviction. Anyone with half an eye open can see that this is not a film that glorifies drugs. The degradation of Alia’s character, both physical and mental, is horrifying. The problem is the plot contrivances. It’s also clear that despite the dirt on display, the film has its Don’t Do Drugs approach emblazoned right across. What was the CBFC objecting to, really? The two actors who make this thing sing are Diljit and Alia. The former, a huge star in Punjab making his Bollywood debut here, is very good. He adds enormously to the authenticity and heft of the film. The latter falters a little with her Bihari accent, but the way she channels the pain and the incredible strength of a young woman stuck in a terrible place, is searing. She soars.

UDTA PUNJAB GIVES YOU A SUBS 'TANTIAL' HIGH. Welcome to Chaubey's Punjab; a world you may not inhabit, but cannot ignore. As notorious as Mexico in the current context, the state that is known for wrestlers and wheat, serves up heroin, opium, cocaine faster than parathas and lassis. Yes, Punjab the land of the five rivers, is a description only reserved for the text-books. In reality, it's a place besieged by cartels, cocaine and corrupt cops. Chaubey uses a part-documentary-part-mainstream approach here. Post interval, the film is sometimes too indulgent and sluggish. Also this is not your sunny-side up cinema. It is stark and makes you cringe. However, its victory lies in making you empathise with its characters. As Alia and Shahid, both victims of drug and physical abuse fight their demons and destinies, you shed a silent tear. Shahid has got his act pat but Alia beats everyone hollow. Kareena and Diljit are adept. This review also doffs a hat to the nuanced performances of Satish Kaushik, Prabhjyot Singh and Manav Vij. Important: A lot of the dialogues are in Punjabi but the subtitles help.