Nikhil
Advani's
film
Patiala
House
on
cross-generation
cultural
assimilation
among
the
Sikh
community
of
Great
Briton
is
getting
more
and
more
seriously
authentic.
Now,
Nikhil
has
hired
12
professional
young
British-Asian
actors
who
joined
Akshay
Kumar
for
the
long
schedule
in
Mumbai
this
month.
They
will
play
the
third
generation
of
Sikhs
in
Britain.
Some
time
ago,
Nikhil
flew
to
London
to
shoot
scenes
in
the
much-revered
Southall
Gurdwara
and
to
meet
Sikh
elders
there.
Cameras
are
not
allowed
in
the
Gurudwara.
But
once
the
Southall
Gurudwara
committees
heard
the
idea
behind
Patiala
House
and
that
two
of
the
most
beloved
Punjabi
actors,
Rishi
Kapoor
and
Akshay
Kumar
will
feature
in
the
saga,
the
Sikh
elders
of
Southall
were
all
for
the
project.
Says
Nikhil,
"They
just
threw
open
the
doors
of
the
Gurudwara
and
offered
to
help
in
every
way
to
make
Patiala
House
authentic.
Many
of
the
Sikh
elders
at
the
Gurudwara
had
lived
through
the
infamous
Southall
racial
riots
of
1979,
where
my
film
is
partially
set.
When
I
narrated
my
theme
to
them
they
had
tears
in
their
eyes.
Patiala
House
is
like
old
wounds
being
re-opened
for
them.
But
it's
a
story
that
must
be
told," says
Advani.
Even
while
the
set
depicting
the
streets
and
homes
from
the
Asia-centric
Southall
area
of
London
are
being
constructed
in
Film
City,
director
Nikhil
Advani
has
managed
to
get
visas
for
12
young
British
Asian
actors,
chosen
after
auditioning
nearly
60
candidates,
to
play
third-generation
Sikhs
from
a
family
in
Southall.
The
director
has
been
working
on
their
visas
and
other
details
for
the
last
many
months.
"There
are
7
boys
and
5
girls
all
between
the
ages
of
16
and
30.
We
deliberately
kept
the
lower
age-limit
at
16
because
any
younger
British
-Asian
actors
would've
meant
special
permissions
and
visas
for
parents.
Out
there,
they
are
very
particular
about
the
permissible
age
for
working."
Nikhil
has
been
at
the
job
to
the
minutest
details.
"All
the
details
of
their
schedules
have
been
worked
out.
Their
hotel
accommodations,
transport,
dinner
engagements,
etc.
They
started
shooting
on
21st
December
and
keep
shooting
right
up
to
4
February."
At
heart,
says
Nikhil,
Patiala
House
is
a
father-son
story.
"Like
Billy
Elliott,
where
the
father
is
a
coal
miner
but
the
son
wants
to
be
dancer.
In
my
film,
Rishi
Kapoor
feels
his
dreams
as
a
Sikh
immigrant
in
England
are
being
destroyed
by
his
son.
But
the
son
Akshay
Kumar
has
his
own
dreams
to
pursue."
The
director
fears
the
minute
people
hear
Akshay
plays
a
Sardarji,
they
will
presume
Patiala
House
is
another
Singh
Is
Kinng.
"But
my
film
has
nothing
in
common
with
Singh
Is
Kinng.
Akshay
is
a
Sardar.
But
a
mona
Sardar."