Finally Chandigarh, which he calls ‘first world’, beeps on celebrated director Imitiaz Ali’s radar. As he goes theatre hopping in the City Beautiful to check the pulse of audiences and get first-hand information on their response to his much acclaimed film Main Vaapas Aaunga, he also relives what formed the basis of his moving film on Partition. Undeniably, he has seen many movies and considers Freedom at Midnight by Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre, the mother of all books on the cataclysmic historical period. But what truly inspired him and his film were the personal stories of those affected by the hastily drawn Radcliffe line.
As the narrative of his film hovers between two periods 1947 and modern day Punjab, he thinks both are very important for the state for which his love is as legendary as majority of his love tales. Of course, Main Vaapas… is more than a love story. In times when Pakistan bashing has become a norm what made him go against the current? Well, he says, “The film is set in undivided India, so it’s not about loving or hating Pakistan. Besides, all the people I met none of them spoke of hatred.” To hatemongers who often admonish Indian Muslims with ‘go to Pakistan’ jibe he reminds, “More than anyone else Indian Muslims have proved their patriotism by deciding to stay in India when they had a choice.”
Since the film is quintessentially love for one’s roots and ‘home is where the heart is’ one wonders what home means to him personally. And the maker says, “Home is a version of who you were. Like Ishar in Main Vaapas… we all yearn to return to being that person we were when we were home.”
Heartened by the response to his film, which ironically picked up after being declared ‘dead on arrival’, theatrical run he shares is significant for he would like people to watch his films on the big screen. Many of his movies like Tamasha today hailed as masterpiece didn’t do all too well on the box office. So what is more gratifying for a maker; instant success of a film or it to pass the acid test of time? He quips, “Pain is temporary… cinema is permanent.” And, love even more constant …. Since he has expressed his for Punjab more than once what image of the state he carries in his heart? Pat comes the reply, “Wheat fields and gentle breeze.” Of course, the Punjab you see in his cinema is much more than that.
Among the vast lexicon of Punjabi words expectedly ‘chardi kalan’ is his favourite. Poetic lines that remain indelible on his mindscape are the songs by Amar Singh Chamkila whose life he brought alive in his stirring biopic on the controversial singer. If Amar Singh Chamkila led to Main Vaapas…Laila Majnu the film he produced and his brother Sajid Ali directed; will soon be followed up by Heer Ranjha with the same team. What more can he convey on the unrequited eternal love legend, well you will have to watch the film to know the answer.
If movie goers, including Gen Z have experienced the many poignant layers of his film, their responses have become a refresher course for him which will not only help reassess his future course but has also reinstated his belief, “Audiences like a good film.” Of course, audiences’ favourite director will keep returning with a cinematic gem each time we meet his directorial skill on screen,