Imtiaz Ali, who is in love with the colours and chaos of Punjab, asks his veers to preserve the folk art forms of the state
Gurnaaz Kaur
Gentle in his manner, wise with his words, simple in his approach and calm with a crowd screaming for pictures, he pleases everyone possible around him with a selfie. That’s Imtiaz Ali for you; the filmmaker who has given Indian cinema some of the most romantic, unconventional love stories. If his films unravel the complexities of relationships, a conversation with him reflects how with much sincerity and passion he delves into the smallest of details, no matter what your question is.
In Chandigarh at the Chitkara Lit Fest, Imtiaz talks about love, life and his strong connection with Punjab. Some of his films have shown how long journeys and the countless experiences on the way bring transformation to his characters. Be it Highway where Randeep Hooda and Alia Bhatt become different people from when they start the long ride, or how in Jab We Met Shahid Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor end up looking at life from a new perspective by the end of their train journey, Imtiaz feels journeys can bring growth in more ways than we know.
“When you are travelling, you are out of your comfort zone, which means you don’t have to carry the image of yourself as other people perceive you to be. If today, you are all looking at me as a film director, then I am also having to act like one, but if I am at place where people don’t know me, I can be anybody, so it’s the possibility of getting freed from yourself that brings change.”
Conflict between the commonplace and where lies the heart is another subject that Imitaz often explores through his characters. So, be it in Rockstar, Cocktail or Tamasha, there is a rawness with which his protagonists deal with chaos and depict that restlessness many face. At the centre of these stories is love. “I think, when you move with love, your heart is open. There is so much to learn from a relationship. When you want something or someone, at that point you are in surrender. That feeling of love is dynamic, it brings out different qualities that you haven’t expected in yourself.”
In a time when friends with benefits, situationships has become the norm, Imtiaz feels youngsters are looking for something meaningful and warm but are lost at the same time. Commitment phobia is not a thing of a generation; it is the time that we are living in. As he says, “It’s like you are watching one show on Netflix but you know there are thousands of shows available on other OTT platforms and so you feel the FOMO and think you can get something better. That’s for all of us, young or old.”
From love in his films, to the love Imtiaz has for Punjab. Be it through songs or locations or even his characters, the state reflects in his cinema so often. The director says there is a sense of blessing and prosperity he experiences on this land of gurus. “I feel very special about myself when I am here. There are so many things that attract me to Punjab. From the time of Alexander, Punjab’s head is being crushed by armies, people are being killed, blood is flowing in the five rivers, some or the other violent action is going on all the time, yet the biggest sufi saints are from this land, all the epic love stories are actually Punjabi — Heer-Ranjha, Sassi-Punnu, Sohni-Mahiwal. All the mohabbat still comes out of Punjab. Even in Mumbai when I switch on the radio, out of 10 channels, seven are playing Punjabi songs.”
Having travelled around the world, it is Punjabis who he says are always there for brotherhood and warmth, no matter where he is. “Wherever you go in the world, in a restaurant, the loudest people are always Punjabis. I might go to some Scandinavian country and even there I will find a ‘veere’. I am always wondering what is it that is so vibrant in this land which has seen so much tragedy. What is so special, what are they trying to scream out. The brightness like the colours of Phulkari dupatta and at the same time tragedies that befall all the time. It’s happening even today. I am always in awe of this spirit.”
With passion in his voice and words, Imtiaz gets emotional when he tells his audience to save the heritage and culture of Punjab. “Mark my word, it is your responsibility to not let it recede. I was shooting for Chamkila, among the folk dances, people only know bhangra, the rest of the art forms like luddi, jhumar, sammi, they are forgetting. You’ll be nothing without your heritage. Don’t be faceless, keep your identity. And identity is not only in religiosity, it is also in our culture. I am speaking like a true Punjabi. There is so much brilliance I see over here yet there is so much strife. It is very dramatic, it calls out to me, the kind of things the Punjabi poets have said.”
About choosing Amar Singh Chamkila’s story for his upcoming film, he says in some way it is also a reflection of Punjab. “I used to hear about him, his songs. His lyrics were bold, bordering on vulgar. I realised his life is as dynamic and as dual as the life of Punjab. He became the biggest successful star, highest-selling artiste, but he also died at 27. He saw the highs and lows, he got threats and he got praise. So, I felt that this is in some way representative of what Punjab is—the colour and the tragedy.”
