It’s been nine years since Udta Punjab released in theatres on June 17, 2016. Directed by Abhishek Chaubey and featuring a stellar cast including Shahid Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Diljit Dosanjh, the film boldly addressed the growing issue of drug abuse among the youth in Punjab. Over the years, it has gained cult status for its hard-hitting narrative and powerful performances.

Marking this milestone, Shahid Kapoor took to Instagram to share a black-and-white picture of his character Tommy Singh, also known as Gabru, flaunting the now-iconic “Born to Fly” tattoo. In his post, he expressed his fondness for the character, describing Tommy as one of the flawed protagonists he has always enjoyed playing. Shahid noted that such complex roles seem to be appreciated more today and thanked the film’s director Abhishek Chaubey, along with Anurag Kashyap, Vikramaditya Motwane, Vikas Bahl and the rest of the team for the special experience. He ended his caption with a cheeky reference to the film’s bold theme.

Here is Shahid Kapoor’s post which he captioned with, “9 yrs. Another special character. Another one of the flawed protagonists that I always loved to play. They seem to be in fashion now. Thank you @abhishekchaubey, @anuragkashyap10, @motwayne, Vikas Bahl and the entire team for making this journey so special. And of course. Drug’s di maa di”.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DK_ampJypeX

Shahid Kapoor’s wife Mira Kapoor joined in the nostalgia by reacting to the post with the phrase “Tommy calling” and a fire emoji. Fans too poured in their love, remembering Shahid’s performance with admiration. Some called it his best work before Kabir Singh while others demanded a sequel.

Udta Punjab was produced by Shobha Kapoor, Ekta Kapoor, Sameer Nair and Aman Gill under Balaji Motion Pictures, along with Anurag Kashyap, Vikas Bahl and Vikramaditya Motwane under Phantom Films.

Interestingly, reports from March suggest that Ekta Kapoor is indeed planning a sequel. Aakash Kaushik has reportedly been brought on board to write and direct it. While the script is still in development, sources say that Ekta Kapoor is eager to have Shahid reprise his role. Although some early discussions have occurred, formal talks with the actor are still pending and the project is expected to move into production next year.

Are you looking forward to Udta Punjab 2?

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