Imtiaz Aliknown for crafting some of Hindi cinema’s most beloved romantic films, he once had a firm personal rule: never work with the same actor twice. But that rule, now openly accepted, no longer applies. Ahead of the release of the partition-era romantic drama ‘Main Vaapas Aaunga’, the filmmaker explains how his thinking has evolved.
Actor Imtiaz Ali talks about breaking the no repeat rule
Speaking to Hindustan Times, Imtiaz Ali made his directorial debut in 2005 with ‘Socha Na Tha’ before delivering acclaimed films like ‘Jab We Met’ (2007), ‘Love Aaj Kal’ (2009), ‘Rockstar’ (2011) and ‘Highway’ (2014). Through this impressive run, he deliberately avoided recasting the same actors, motivated by the fear of creative repetition.He explained: “At first, I thought I should never work with the same actor again. I thought I would have a hangover from the previous film.”That thinking changed when he wrote ‘Tamasha’ (2015), as he teamed up with both of them Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone. The dreaded hangover, he said, simply never materialized. The director added, “There was no one, not even with Diljit or Ranbir or Deepika.”
Imtiaz Ali on casting Ranbir Kapoor in two different roles
Imtiaz drew a parallel with Ranbir Kapoor, who played very different characters in ‘Rockstar’ and ‘Tamasha’. He said, “With Ranbir, he was a different guy (in ‘Tamasha’). Here too, Nirvair (Diljit’s character) is a completely different person from ‘Chamkila’. This role wouldn’t have been possible in this way if it wasn’t for him.”
why Diljit Dosanjh It was the only option for ‘Main Vaapas Aaunga’
Diljit Dosanjh, who starred in Imtiaz’s hit ‘Amar Singh Chamkila’, is back as the lead in ‘Main Vaapas Aaunga’. For the filmmaker, the decision was right and completely rooted in the writing.He revealed, “I always write first, and then see which actor suits this part. With Diljit, I realized that he is the best fit for this part. Why should I have the idea of working with the same actor not back to back, if he is the best actor for this film?”
About ‘Main Vaapas Aaunga’
‘Main Vaapas Aaunga’ is a romantic drama set against the backdrop of Partition. The film stars Diljit Dosanjh along with Vedang Raina, Sharvari and Naseeruddin Shah and will hit the theaters on June 12.
