Straight from the Heart

Canada-based cardiologist Anmol Kapoor on using cinema to work towards a healthier heart.

Death is inevitable,but when a generation starts to die younger,it is a matter of grave concern. Disturbed by an increasing mortality rate owing to heart diseases,Canada-based cardiologist Anmol Kapoor thought of doing something about it. South Asians and Indians have a three to five times higher risk of heart failure as compared to Britishers,Americans or Canadians. This rising epidemic of heart diseases claiming young lives deeply troubled me, says the doctor,who started the Dilwalk movement,an NGO in Canada aiming to increase awareness about heart disease in South Asian communities around the world.

Originally from Nabha,in Patiala district,Kapoor studied medicine in Russia and Alberta,before settling in Calgary. Over the years. he continued to make short films on health issues. But that wasnt enough. Documentaries and short films have limited audience and Kapoor was looking at a mass impact,and thats when the turning point came with Aamir Khans Taare Zameen Par. It was a path-breaking film for the Asian audience who seldom talk about health issues. How that one film acted as a catalyst for change inspired me to work on a bigger project, says Kapoor,who took motivation from the film and Khans show Satyameva Jayate.

To gauge mass attention,one needs to develop a product fit for mass consumption. Hence my debut film as a writer and producer,Patiala Dreamz,is is a way to take the concept to the people. It also provides a bigger platform to talk about Dilwalk, he adds.

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To be released the world over early next year,including in Russia,UK,US and Canada,Patiala Dreamz took Kapoor two months to write. With a mixed cast from Canada and India,its the story about an artist who grows up in Canada,and is troubled by recurrent dreams till he meets a girl from Patiala. He then travels to India to look for answers. Its a film,he says,that aims at involving the community,a Punjabi film with no five comedians or singers as lead actors. All profits,he adds,will go towards Dilwalk.ca,his NGO in Canada.

Directed by Abhishek Saxena,the film features Sarwar Ahuja (winner of Zee Cine Star ki Khoj),Ankit Kakkar,south Indian actor Madalsa Sharma,along with Sardar Sohi,BN Sharma and Rana Jung Bahadur. It is Kapoors way of engaging a community and educating them on adopting a healthier lifestyle.

Because the South Asian community,especially Punjabis,have an increased risk of heart disease,they have a shorter life span and as a result,are not able to contribute economically and politically to their full potential. There is also a lack of research and awareness about increased heart attack rates among Punjabis in the UK,US and Canada. In the UK alone,Punjabis get heart attacks 10 years earlier, he says.

The Punjabi audience,he feels,will appreciate films made from the heart and for a good cause.

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Next,Kapoor is looking to start Dilwalk magazine and a centre in India,and work on another script highlighting the cross-cultural barriers among various communities in the western world.

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