Five former addicts talk about life after substance abuse in documentary

Filmmaker Shilpi Gulati

In a state known for its rampant substance-abuse problem, there aren't adequate reports that comprehensively indicate the number of addiction cases, leave alone the number of recoveries. As filmmaker Shilpi Gulati, 31, tells us this, she says, "But enough has been said about Punjab's drug problem. We now need stories of recovery, stories of those who are working really hard along with their families towards de-addiction."

A still from Taala Te Kunjee with one of the five protagonists of the documentary, Jasbir Singh, 57, who overcame 13 years of multiple drug abuse

Her documentary Taala Te Kunjee (Lock and Key), was finished last year. It opens serenely - with a ruddy, elderly man doing yoga on a morning. As you get to know Jasbir Singh, 57, you learn of how he overcame 13 years of multiple drug abuse. And Singh is one among the five former addicts that Gulati weaves Taala Te Kunjee around, and, as she points about, among the 1-2 per cent in Punjab that fully recovers from substance abuse.

The film is set The Hermitage Rehab, a deaddiction centre in Amritsar. "I was approached by The Hermitage about two years ago to collaborate on a film project. I chose to focus the film on the five stalwarts of this organisation. They are at different stages of their lives, and now counsel others at the centre; they are not trained psychologists but speak from a unique personal experience of addiction," says Gulati, who is based out of New Delhi. These men are superheroes in Punjab - they travel the state, bravely baring their misdeeds and their strength to addicts, and have won awards, too.

Among them is Amandeep Pannu, 35, who went through 10 years of opium addiction. He addresses patients and their families at the rehab centre, and goes on to eloquently explain the situation through the metaphor of a lock and key - the lines that give the documentary the title. Who is the lock and who the key - the person or the drug?

"I thought we could expand it to understand the relationship between the men and their partners," says Gulati. Behind the veil of abuse may lie a partner who has suffered alongside; behind the hope of deaddiction lies a body that suffers from withdrawal symptoms. "We see many of families standing strong with the patient while they go through rehab. There is anger and resentment, forgiveness and support, a mixed bag of emotions towards what the husbands have done during the course of their addiction," she explains.

The film has been shown at festivals previously, such as Film South Asia in Kathmandu last year, where it won a special jury award. It will be screened in the city at the National Centre of Performing Arts on April 4.

Gulati has previously made films such as Qissa-e Parsi (2014) and Dere to Delhi (2012), but calls Taala Te Kunjee life-changing. "Before this film, I used to wonder why addicts, despite having lost everything, could not change their ways. After knowing these five men and their families for two years, my understanding of rehabilitation has changed. These are people with beautiful personalities," she says.

Also read: A picture and joke paint a grim reality of drug problem in Punjab

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