Mudda
Mudda: The Issue is a 2003 Indian Hindi-language drama film directed by Saurabh Shukla and produced by Raju Mavani.[1][2] The story centers on Acharya, a university lecturer disillusioned by corruption in Bombay's education system, who relocates to a small town only to find similar issues, including a feud between the sons of two rival political families that escalates during college elections.[3][4] Starring Arya Babbar in the lead role alongside Prashant Narayanan, Aditya Srivastava, and Rekha Vedavyas, the film explores themes of political rivalry, educational corruption, and personal integrity.[1] Released on 12 December 2003, it featured music composed by Jeet-Pritam and was a box office disaster, earning minimal revenue on limited screens.[5][6] Critics panned its execution, with reviews highlighting weak storytelling despite the director's intent to address systemic issues.[7]Synopsis
Plot
Siddharth Acharya, a university lecturer disillusioned by corruption in Mumbai's educational institutions, relocates to a small-town college seeking a fresh start. Upon arrival, he discovers the campus dominated by intense rivalry between two student factions led by Rajbeer, the son of local politician Balli Tai, and Pratap, the son of her political adversary Harphul Singh.[2][7][3] The conflict deepens as both Rajbeer and Pratap develop romantic interests in Sundari, the daughter of the village priest, who reciprocates Pratap's affections. This love triangle intertwines with their families' longstanding political feud, prompting Balli to propose marriage between Rajbeer and Sundari, which she rejects. Rajbeer, heartbroken, resorts to alcohol amid escalating tensions.[7] The rivalry culminates in college elections, with Rajbeer and Pratap directly opposing each other for leadership positions, mirroring their fathers' animosities and disrupting the educational environment. Acharya becomes inadvertently embroiled in the feud, navigating the corrupt dynamics and attempting to address the systemic issues plaguing the institution.[8][7][3] The narrative explores themes of political intrigue, youthful rebellion, and institutional decay in a rural North Indian setting.[7]Production
Development
Saurabh Shukla, an established actor and screenwriter who contributed to the script of Satya (1998), wrote and directed Mudda – The Issue as his feature film directorial debut.[9] The screenplay centers on a university ethics professor relocating to a rural village, where he becomes entangled in a longstanding political and familial feud between two rival leaders, their sons, and a romantic triangle amid college elections.[10] Shukla's narrative initially adopts an introspective, art-house tone focused on the professor's quest for simplicity before pivoting to broader political satire and conventional dramatic elements involving youth rivalries.[11] The project was produced by Raju Mavani under his banner, reflecting a modest independent production typical of early 2000s Hindi cinema ventures by theater veterans transitioning to direction.[12]Casting
The lead role of Pratap Singh, the son of the character Harphool Singh, was played by Prashant Narayanan.[13] Aditya Srivastava portrayed Harphool Singh, a central figure in the rural setting central to the plot.[13] Rajat Kapoor took on the role of Siddharth Acharya, an urban transplant frustrated with city corruption.[13] Rekha Vedavyasa appeared as Sundari, providing a key female lead presence.[13] [2] Arya Babbar played Rajbir, marking an early screen credit for the actor.[2] [14] Director Saurabh Shukla also performed in the film as Dinanath, alongside supporting actors including Dolly Ahluwalia as MLA Rani and Vijay Raaz as Pandey.[14] [13] The ensemble drew from both emerging and character actors suited to the film's themes of rural-urban conflict and political intrigue.[1]Filming
Principal photography for Mudda – The Issue occurred in India prior to the film's theatrical release on December 12, 2003.[10][1] The production was managed by Charmi Films Pvt. Ltd., with Daksha Mavani and Raju Mavani serving as producers. Detailed records of shooting schedules, crew specifics beyond the director Saurabh Shukla, or precise locations are unavailable in public sources, consistent with the film's modest profile as Shukla's directorial debut.[10] The narrative's depiction of rural North Indian village life suggests location shooting to authentically capture the environment, though this has not been confirmed by production accounts.[7]Soundtrack
Composition and release
The soundtrack for Mudda: The Issue was composed by the duo Jeet Gannguli and Pritam Chakraborty, credited as Jeet-Pritam.[15][16] This marked their final joint project before an amicable parting, after which each pursued independent careers.[15] The album was released in 2003 via CD format, aligning with the film's theatrical debut on December 12, 2003.[16][17][10] Songs on the soundtrack included contributions from vocalists such as Zubeen Garg, who performed tracks like "Sapne Saare" and "Khwabon Ki".[18] Additionally, Sumeet Gannguli, brother of Jeet Gannguli, debuted as a playback singer on this album.[19] The compositions blended Bollywood and Hindustani styles, as noted in release credits.[16]Track listing
The soundtrack of Mudda – The Issue features eight original songs composed by Jeet and Pritam, with lyrics primarily by Saurabh Shukla, alongside contributions from Sanjay Swami and Chandrani Ganguly.[16][6]| No. | Title | Singer(s) | Lyricist |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Khwabon Ki | Kavita Krishnamurthy | Saurabh Shukla |
| 2 | Godanva | Poornima, Aroon Bakshi | Saurabh Shukla |
| 3 | Kaise Main Kahoon | Sumeet Kumar | Sanjay Swami |
| 4 | Deewangee (Sad) | Sumeet Kumar | Chandrani Ganguly |
| 5 | Kutta Kaate | Sonu Nigam | Saurabh Shukla |
| 6 | Khwabon Ki (Male) | Hariharan | Saurabh Shukla |
| 7 | Sapne Saare | Zubeen Garg | Saurabh Shukla |
| 8 | Deewangee | Sumeet Kumar | Chandrani Ganguly |