Imtiaz Ali says Bollywood isn’t as ‘mean’ as people think after Alia Bhatt supports his film Main Vaapas Aaunga

Filmmaker Imtiaz Ali defends Bollywood against criticism of a lack of support, highlighting Alia Bhatt's promotion of his film Main Vaapas Aaunga.

Bollywood has often been criticised for allegedly not supporting one another’s films. However, filmmaker Imtiaz Ali believes the industry is widely misunderstood. The director recently praised Alia Bhatt for promoting his upcoming film Main Vaapas Aaunga on social media and said gestures like these prove that there is genuine warmth and affection within the film fraternity.

Imtiaz Ali says Bollywood is not that mean

Imtiaz Ali reacts to Alia Bhatt supporting Main Vaapas Aaunga.

Imtiaz and Alia Bhatt previously worked together on Highway, a film widely considered a turning point in Alia’s career. Recently, the actor showed her support for Imtiaz’s upcoming project by creating a reel on the film’s song Maskara. Speaking about the gesture, Imtiaz reflected on how the film industry is often “misinterpreted”.

In a chat with Free Press Journal, he said, “Itne hum log mean hai hie nahi (We are not actually that mean). Look at what she has done. She had no reason to do it. It’s not like she simply forwarded something. She genuinely did something because she felt like it.”

The filmmaker further added, “All of us are part of this surrogate family situation. We are all drifters and dreamers who want to make great films, want our films to succeed, and also want others to thrive and prosper. We want to show love to each other as well. What Alia has done is actually representative of how the film industry really is. There is a lot of love that people have for one another.”

Directed by Imtiaz Ali, Main Vaapas Aaunga is set against the backdrop of the Partition era and marks his second collaboration with Diljit Dosanjh after the critically acclaimed Amar Singh Chamkila. The film also stars Naseeruddin Shah, Sharvari and Vedang Raina in lead roles.

The film is slated to release in theatres on June 12 and will clash with Kangana Ranaut’s Bharat Bhagya Vidhata and Manoj Bajpayee’s Governor: The Silent Saviour.

Producer Ektaa Kapoor, who has already watched the film, heaped praise on it in a post on X. She described it as “emotional, timeless, and unforgettable”, adding that it leaves viewers thinking about unresolved love and unfinished promises. She also praised Imtiaz Ali for being in “top form” and called A. R. Rahman’s music “pure magic”.

Ektaa further applauded Diljit Dosanjh’s restrained performance, described Vedang Raina as a “surprise package”, and also praised the performances of Sharvari and Naseeruddin Shah.