Filmmaker Imtiaz Ali recently celebrated his long-awaited return to form with the musical biopic Amar Singh Chamkila, starring Diljit Dosanjh and Parineeti Chopra. A major theme of the movie was artistic freedom in oppressive times, with the titular protagonist ultimately sacrificing his life for his art. One of Imtiaz’s most widely shared interviews saw him addressing questions about the exact same idea. The filmmaker, who is celebrating his 53rd birthday on Sunday, rejected the suggestion that he finds it difficult to work in Bollywood because of his Muslim identity, as he entered into a combative back-and-forth with the interviewer.
The interview was conducted in 2019, a couple of years after the disastrous Jab Harry Met Sejal, and over four years before the release of Amar Singh Chamkila. “Is it difficult for a man named Imtiaz Ali, or Khan, to work in the film industry these days?” he was asked. Imtiaz replied, “You’re saying I face difficulties because of my name, my religion? Not at all.” Asked about Karan Johar’s film My Name is Khan, and what it stood for, Imtiaz said, “My Name is Khan is a very good film, about an important subject. That film was for the entire world, and not just the Hindi film industry. Just like how your entire country suffers because of a few bad apples, it’s the same with religions.”
Also read – Amar Singh Chamkila: Imtiaz Ali set out to make a movie about the slain singer, but he made a movie about himself instead
Only a fool, he said, would form a generalised opinion about an entire religion based on the actions of a few people, adding that he wouldn’t be pressured into the corner by this line of questioning. “I’ve lived in a lot of cities. I’ve never felt this way ever in the country, or in this industry. “The Constitution gives everybody the freedom to express their personal beliefs, and I’ve never felt that I was in any sort of danger,” the filmmaker said, denying that he feels the same way as some ‘film stars’ who’d spoken about growing intolerance at the time. “A certain tension can be felt all across the world. I believe that this time too shall pass; all we have to do is stand our ground,” he said.
Imtiaz Ali said that regardless of what political party is in power, filmmakers have always been ‘conscious’ about what they put out in the world. Asked if he can continue working while ‘ignoring’ his Muslim identity, Imtiaz replied, “I cannot ignore that I’m from Jamshedpur. I cannot ignore that I went to Hindu college. I cannot ignore that I live in Mumbai. There are lots of things that I cannot ignore. And why should I ignore any of this? I’m not ashamed. I can continue working in this industry, fully aware of each aspect of my identity.”
Imtiaz made his debut with the film Socha Na Tha, and followed it up with the hit Jab We Met. He gained further cult appreciation with films like Rockstar, Tamasha, Love Aaj Kal, and Highway. After a career downturn with Jab Harry Met Sejal and a spiritual sequel to Love Aaj Kal, he bounced back with Amar Singh Chamkila. Imtiaz’s films are usually coming-of-age tales featuring male protagonists caught in an extended adolescence.
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