Diljit comes with a lot of depth, purity, soul: Imtiaz Ali

Indian auteur Imtiaz Ali, who is gearing up for the release of his upcoming film “Main Vapas Aaunga,” has spoken up on reuniting with the Punjabi superstar Diljit Dosanjh. The film marks their 2nd collaboration after the streaming biopic “Amar Singh Chamkila,” in which Diljit starred in the titular role of the slain Punjabi folk singer. In “Main Vapas Aaunga,” Imtiaz Ali touches upon the themes of separation, the Partition of India, and the pain that followed. Imtiaz spoke with IANS during the promotions of the film, and lauded Diljit for his depth as an artiste.

He told IANS, “Diljit comes with a lot of depth, he comes with a lot of purity, soul, and a lot of society, a certain humanity. He’s very connected to his roots. He represents certain people, and he is such a remarkable actor, and one doesn’t even understand how he is like that. He’s kept himself very clean as an artiste. And he believes he’s not even an actor. He says, but he’s got every award, he has been nominated to the International Emmys so he’s an actor of that category. My first interest, of course, is him as an actor, which is why I would like to work with him”.

He further mentioned, “I feel that there are so many aspects to Diljit, and we want to bring everything into the work that one does. In this film, it is even more eminently possible than the previous one. Who he is today, contemporarily, what his concerns are, all of that makes him a part of the soul of this film. It’s a part of the emotion of this film. Like he is just speaking from his guts in this film”.

“In ‘Amar Singh Chamkila’ obviously, that was also a part of his roots. But what he is saying now is contemporary and more valid, because it’s also about now”, he added. Produced by Sameer Nair and Deepak Segal of Applause Entertainment, along with Mohit Choudhary and Shibasish Sarkar of Window Seat Films. “Main Vapas Aaunga” is set to release in cinemas on June 12, 2026.

Meanwhile, superstar Diljit Dosanjh, who is gearing up for the release of his upcoming film “Main Vapas Aaunga,” reunited with his “Amar Singh Chamkila” team on Sunday. The actor was seen promoting the upcoming film with Imtiaz Ali, Irshad Kamil, and the Oscar and Grammy-winning music composer A. R. Rahman.

This comes after Diljit missed the promotions of “Border 2” earlier this year. The film, a big ticket entertainer marked the second chapter of the legacy title “Border,” and starred Sunny Deol and Suniel Shetty. Meanwhile, “Main Vapas Aaunga” marks Diljit’s 2nd collaboration with Imtiaz Ali after the biopic “Amar Singh Chamkila.” “Main Vapas Aaunga” is a period romantic drama, and also stars Sharvari, Naseeruddin Shah and Vedang Raina. The film is set against the backdrop of the 1947 Partition of India, and explores themes of love, separation, migration, and memory. The narrative is expected to follow a romantic relationship shaped and disrupted by historical upheaval, a recurring motif in Partition-era storytelling. The film also reunites Imtiaz Ali with A. R. Rahman, and his frequent collaborator, lyricist Irshad Kamil.

In January, the makers announced the release date for the film on social media with a post that read, “Imtiaz Ali’s next, a charming story of love and longing to release in cinemas on 12th June, 2026. Applause Entertainment Presents, A Window Seat Films Production. Starring: Diljit Dosanjh, Vedang Raina, Sharvari, Naseeruddin Shah Directed by Imtiaz Ali Music by A.R. Rahman Lyrics by Irshad Kamil Produced by, Applause Entertainment, Window Seat Films, Mohit Choudhary”.

The posters dropped on social media give out the vibe for an old school romance, with one of the pictures featuring Sharvani riding a cycle in the middle of the fields, with Vedang Raina running behind her, dressed as a sardar. On the other hand, we see Diljit Dosanjh standing in the middle of the field with a calm expression on his face.

Indo-Asian News Service