Through United Kacche, actor and comedian, Sunil Grover brings to light the accounts of Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi citizens who are not permanent residents of England and are thus known as ‘kacche’. They settle overseas as unauthorised immigrants without proper documentation, surviving on daily salaries while continually evading the law. The show deftly arrests the nuances and quandaries of these folk, employing the tropes of a comedy. It also delves into the lives of people from alien nationalities living abroad together and finding a comforting familiarity in each other.
The actor’s last successful series on ZEE5 was Sunflower, which received critical acclaim and was praised for its dark humour and strong performances. With United Kacche, he is venturing into newer territories. In this 8-episode series, he plays the lead role of Tejinder ‘Tango’ Gill, a man from Punjab who dreams of resettling to an unfamiliar country for a better livelihood. To earn this aspiration, he is willing to go to any extent, even offering his ancestral land as collateral to gain a chance to move to England and do any make-shift work. But as they say, the grass is always greener on the other side, and Tango soon realises his hardships. The title of the series itself is significant, conveying the essence of the show’s concept. United, which signifies the unification of nationalities that become one family as they undergo the same grinds, transmits a sense of belonging that resonates deeply with viewers. The actor takes the audience on an emotional rollercoaster that will leave them laughing, crying, and rooting for the characters every step of the way.
Drawing on his experience in comedy, Sunil infuses United Kacche with heart-warming emotions, amusement and effervescence. Talking about how he got into the skin of his character, Sunil shares, “I have travelled a lot around the world and am aware of the people who settle abroad. Being a Panjabi myself, I have known and seen people from my community wanting to go outside of India and live overseas. But, they do so legally. This is a story revolving around a person who legally relocates to another country and becomes an illegal citizen when his VISA expired. I have heard such accounts of people. I empathised with my character and his situation — while also generating humour where it was needed. The topic is serious but the take on it is essentially centred on humour. I concentrated on how I make the piece light-hearted as well as appealing to the audience. I introduced humour sequentially in every scene — my character is in a constant state of fear. What if he gets caught? He wants to become a permanent citizen in the UK and approaches people to help him. He even wants to get officially marry the landlord’s daughter. He preoccupies himself in odd jobs but even in the midst of it all, gets caught in various situations. This show is an honest depiction of the human conflicts to exist in a strange country in addition to being a dollop-of-life dramatic comedy involving sympathetic characters and their regular obstacles. Also, since the show is set in London, we shot a lot of it there to maintain the most realistic appearance and feel.”
Streaming on ZEE5.
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Twitter: @PaulChokita