When director Anil Sharma decided to include the now-famous handpump scene in the 2001 blockbuster ‘Gadar: Ek Prem Katha’, he faced heavy skepticism. Critics within his own crew doubted the credibility of the scene, suggesting it would look “fake” and would detract from the film’s realism.
According to PTI, recalling the moments leading up to the scene’s filming, Sharma explained that the set was on hold for two hours as the team debated its inclusion. “They said, ‘Don’t put a commercial scene in a picture as realistic as Gadar,’” Sharma said.
However, Sharma remained unwavering, believing the dramatic act of Sunny Deol’s character, Tara Singh, uprooting a handpump, would resonate deeply with audiences. Sharma later likened it to the mythological story of Lord Hanuman lifting a mountain in the Ramayana, a symbolic, larger-than-life feat driven by intense emotion.
Ultimately, the scene not only made it into the film but became a pop culture phenomenon, referenced in Sharma’s recent sequel Gadar 2 (2023). In the film, Tara Singh again travels to Pakistan, this time to rescue his son Jeete, played by Utkarsh Sharma.
Reflecting on this work, Sharma noted how his background from Mathura and his passion for traditional storytelling, influenced by Hindu scriptures, shaped his filmmaking. He envisioned Gadar as a Partition-era retelling of the Ramayana, with Tara Singh embodying a modern-day Ram.
On the other hand, Sharma’s latest project Vanvaas, set to release on December 20, will delve into family values and the importance of elders, a theme inspired by personal loss. With Nana Patekar in a leading role, Vanvaas promises a moving narrative that Sharma hopes will stir viewers’ emotions and conscience.
Vanvaas – Official Teaser
