Why Imtiaz Ali Loves To Show Punjab in His Movies? ‘Jab We Met’ to ‘Main Vaapas Aaunga’

For each individual, some places make special spots in our hearts forever. We want to keep returning and embrace its presence in our lives. Likewise, for an artist-filmmaker, Imtiaz Ali, who somehow feels that special connection with a particular place, Punjab, keeps portraying it in their own artwork, might say a lot about that intangible connection.

Imitiaz Ali has shown his love for Punjab in his recently released film Main Vaapas Aaunga, starring Diljit Dosanjh, Vedang Raina and Sharvari. But this is not the only film where Imitiaz has shown Punjab. There is a long list – ‘Jab We Met’, ‘Love Aaj Kal’, ‘Jab Harry Met Sejal’, ‘Amar Singh Chamkila’, and ‘Main Vaapas Aaunga’. But why so? What is the Punjab connection with Imtiaz Ali? Let’s find out… 

Imtiaz Ali’s Tacit bond with Punjab

Imtiaz Ali is a person who is fond of emotions with a deep sense of acknowledgement, and at the same time finds his way to portray in his filmmaking. We see it in ‘Jab We Met’, ‘Highway’, ‘Rockstar’, ‘Tamasha’, ‘Amar Singh Chamkila’, and ‘Main Vaapas Aaunga’. He uses places not just as a backdrop but values their cultural beauty and stories. The place brings life to him. And with that, he made a soulful masterpiece. Imtiaz Ali has an implicit, intangible relation that draws him towards Punjab again and again. 

While in some interviews with different media persons, he stated that God knows what the relation he has with Punjab, anyhow, the place gives him something which he is grateful for. In an interview with Mirchi Plus, he said, “The association with Punjab, God knows, where it comes from, but it’s something that draws me to it, and I also, whatever I have done, which has something in Punjab, it also has been graced a lot, and I feel therefore that I receive something from Punjab”.

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Further, Imtiaz Ali added, “I love going there, I love everything about it, and I don’t love it like an outsider, like I love a lot of places, but there is something about Punjab that I like to go into its roots. And what it feels like is that it also accepts me.”

In another interview with Shubhankar, he concluded, “Whenever I visited Punjab, mostly when I was working on the film ‘Jab We Met’, I learned a lot of things about its culture, about folk tales. From that, stories keep paving their path to other stories.” 

The filmmaker also said, “When I was shooting Chamkila, during that time, I heard stories about the Partition in Punjab. The foundation of Main Vaapas Aaunga builds from there. When I am there in Punjab, I receive something, I feel that I gain something valuable, there is some kind of allure, a lot of huge things, stories happened there which attracted me towards it”.

Imtiaz Ali’s Perspective on Punjab

“Punjab is a land which has been burning and still entertaining all of us for centuries till now. The Fascinating thing about Punjab is that there is more to see.” Imtiaz simply explains the contrast of Punjab by relating it to its cultural context and historical events. He also stated that, “Phulkari has so many colours that are so bright in its own way, and also the love stories all come from Punjab, yet Punjab also faces a lot of slaughter and massacre that happened, that mixture of opposites makes it very interesting.”

While talking about Punjab, Imtiaz also said, “The place is lucky for me. There is some connection I don’t know about it, but it is there”.Imtiaz can’t put it into words …it brings a charm in a different way to me, there is a mysticism in it and also a lot of love stories come from Punjab. The way people of Punjab had a completely different approach to Philosophy and Religion that can be seen on a day-to-day basis in Punjab’s lifestyle.”

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So, it is evident that not only for his films but Imtiaz Ali loves the culture and vibe of Punjab with wholeheartedness, and fans love this. Let’s see how Imtiaz will do his magic while showing Punjabi culture in his next film ‘Heer Ranjha’…