Imtiaz Ali says he heard 'Bollywood nahi chalega' multiple times: 'It won't shut down because of dreamers like us'

Imtiaz Ali said that people over the years have been predicting the shutdown of not only cinema but also theatre and VCR among other things.

Filmmaker Imtiaz Ali has shared his opinion on people writing off the Hindi film industry in 2022 as well as the comeback of Bollywood films the next year. Speaking with DNA India, Imtiaz shared that he heard "Bollywood nahi chalega (Bollywood won't survive)" many times. He added that cinema didn't die because of dreamers like him. (Also Read | Karan Johar, Rohit Shetty to Imtiaz Ali: 5 times filmmakers who admitted making mistakes in their movies)

Imtiaz on people criticising Bollywood

Imtiaz Ali spoke about the Hindi film industry.

Imtiaz said, “Main dus baar sunn chuka hoon, ab Bollywood nahi chalega. Jab main aaya tha industry mein logo ne kaha tha, 'Ab khatam ho gaya theatre, ab nahi chalega' (I've heard multiple times that now Bollywood won't survive. When I entered the industry, people had said, ‘Now theatre is over, it won’t work')."

Imtiaz shares why cinema won't shut down

He also added, "Even before that, when VCR came people said the same things. When colour television came, there was a similar opinion. Logo ne kaha hai kai baar ki, 'Cinema bandh ho jayega', magar cinema bandh hua nahi, kyuki hum jaise dreamers hai jo dekhte bhi hai and banate bhi hai (People have said many times, 'Cinema will shut down' but that didn't happen because dreamers like us watch and make films).”

Imtiaz's next film

The film will transport the audiences to the vibrant and rhythmic world of Punjab's folk music, right to the rustic Akhadaas (live music performances in villages) where Chamkila’s voice would once roar, the streamer said in a press release.

AR Rahman has scored the music while the lyrics are penned by Irshad Kamil. Both Diljit and Parineeti Chopra have lent their voices to some of the songs for the film. Amar Singh Chamkila is produced by Mohit Choudhary, Select Media Holdings LLP, Saregama, and Window Seat Films. Regarded as one of the best live stage performers to have come from Punjab, Amar and his wife Amarjot were killed in 1988.

Entertainment! Entertainment! Entertainment! 🎞️🍿💃 Click to follow our Whatsapp Channel 📲 Your daily dose of gossip, films, shows, celebrities updates all in one place