Filmmaker Imtiaz Ali explored several vegetarian delicacies during this visit to Lucknow. He was in the state capital for the two-day Metaphor Lucknow Lit Fest.
“I was very fortunate that my driver took me to places which are very popular. I went to Bajpai Kachori (Bhandar) where we had a queue. I was told that I’m fortunate that the queue was small due to it being a Sunday. I savoured them and they were really very good and fiery! Reliable sources asked me to skip Shukla Chaat but I did go (smiles). I also tried ladoo and kulfi at Chanakya Sweets....bahut maza aaya! In 45 minutes, I covered everything,” says the Jab We Met (2007) and Rockstar (2011) director.
And, what about his favourite non-vegetarian delicacies? “Oh yes! I had already covered it a day before at the lit-fest founder Kanank Rekha Chauhan’s residence. She knows that I am fond of mutton, so we had desi village-style korma, safed maas, Bihari-style mutton, biryani and kababs. So, my non-veg craving quenched at dinner and I had to bring kheer home,” he adds.
Ali is happy to see the younger generation taking pride in their legacy. “If you see the buildings, meet people and look around, you will see that the legacy and heritage is well preserved. Sometimes, I feel, the rest of the places of India should borrow this pride from places like Lucknow and Jaipur. We need to value and maintain them. It will be great for our country.”
{{/usCountry}}Ali is happy to see the younger generation taking pride in their legacy. “If you see the buildings, meet people and look around, you will see that the legacy and heritage is well preserved. Sometimes, I feel, the rest of the places of India should borrow this pride from places like Lucknow and Jaipur. We need to value and maintain them. It will be great for our country.”
{{/usCountry}}He wants to shoot a project here. “Till now, I have not had an opportunity to shoot or portray something about Lucknow. I am very attracted to the culture of this place. Hopefully, life is long and I will be able to make a movie in which I will be able to justify my experience of Lucknow. The fabric of the city interests me and I am getting more and more aware. Hopefully, I will be able to work over here,” he adds.
“My next production will be coming probably in April, but I don’t have the liberty to talk about it,” he says.
‘Meeting people gives me hope’
On being part of the festival and attending select gatherings, Ali says, “I only come to an event when I realise that I have something to learn and something that I can acquire from it. Another, very important reason is the human interaction that it allows me. It breaks me out of my everyday life, into a set of new people who are not part of my daily life, with whom I have an opportunity to interact with. For a filmmaker, it is very important and events like these help me in that. Rest, Bulleh Shah oh diyaan oh jaane...my story is that I feel that for me it’s very important to keep learning. It gives me hope, positivity and the feeling of well-being. Also, it gives me stories and insides into my film.”