Imtiaz Ali: Not every story can be about a woman finding the agency

Mumbai (Maharashtra): Imtiaz Ali has brought in a different genre into Bollywood movies that tell the audience different love stories in the most relatable and genuine ways. His last directorial, Love Aaj Kal 2 may not have worked with the audience, but Imtiaz is someone who made classics such as Rockstar, Love Aaj Kal, Highway, Jab We Met and more. The characters in his movies have their own stories to tell and many times, the character arcs are beautifully developed to break the hearts of the audience. The filmmaker has been questioned by many about the way he writes about his women.

Now, talking to Vice recently, Imtiaz revealed, “I feel fascinated by women for having been in a role which is more repressed and disadvantaged than men and yet having that smile and grace on their faces.” When asked about why his women find their agency as compared to the men in his films, he gave the examples of his OTT series She and film Highway where the main leads who are women have found their way in life. Further adding on it, he said, “Not every story can be about a woman finding the agency. Why am I not allowed to mix stories of different nature or do they mean something else? I am here not to actually tell people how to live their lives.”

Recently, netizens were pointing out Imtiaz Ali’s films where men find their way in life with the help of women. Right from Tamasha where Dev breaks free from his robotic monotonous life and finds his love for theatre with the help of Tara to his film, Rockstar where Jordan experiences the heartbreak he was seeking with the help of Heer and becomes the Rockstar he wished to become.