Bollywood’s Imtiaz Ali bets on Gen Z thirst for love

In an era dominated by hyper-violent blockbusters and larger-than-life action spectacles, Indian filmmaker Imtiaz Ali believes young audiences are searching for something deeper — love that lasts. The director behind cult romantic dramas such as “Jab We Met,” “Rockstar” and “Love Aaj Kal” said that while Gen Z youth may be growing up in a world of seemingly endless choice, that has only intensified their desire for meaningful connection.

“I think young people... are more desperate to find something that they can hold on to for longer — forever perhaps,” Ali, 54, said in an interview ahead of the June 12 release of his latest romance, “Main Vaapas Aaunga.” “Everything is so accessible that almost everything has no value. So, I feel this is the right time to have a story of enduring love,” he said.

The film, whose title means “I will return,” tells the story of a romance that survives nearly eight decades, inspired by real-life accounts from families affected by the 1947 partition of India and Pakistan. Ali said the idea emerged after hearing of two men, aged 91 and 95, who travelled to the India-Pakistan border hoping to visit the villages where they had spent their childhoods before the subcontinent was divided at the end of British rule. The sectarian bloodshed that accompanied the partition killed hundreds of thousands of people and left many families divided. “Almost everything you will see in ‘Main Vaapas Aaunga’ is taken from somebody’s life,” said Ali, calling the film a “collection of stories of love.”

Hit action films such as “Animal,” “Dhurandhar” and the “Pushpa” series have helped cement the dominance of violent action cinema in Bollywood. All three films celebrate highly dominant male protagonists who project raw power, aggression and emotional intensity. But Ali rejects the notion that audiences only want blood and gore. “The kind of film that works... is a good film, a popular film, a film that people enjoy,” he said.

Ali argued that successful films are defined less by genre than by the conviction behind them. “What makes one film a large film? It’s the heart of the maker.”

He described it as a heartfelt tribute to people affected by the Partition. The makers have released a special video of “Kya Kamaal Hai,” which will play at the end of the film during credits. The song serves as a tribute to refugees across the world who have been compelled to leave their homes and rebuild their lives elsewhere.

“Main Vaapas Aaunga” features Punjabi superstar Diljit Dosanjh alongside veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah, with Vedang Raina and Sharvari Wagh portraying younger characters navigating questions of love and commitment.

Ali praised Dosanjh’s ability to bring warmth and restraint to emotionally complex scenes, particularly opposite Shah’s character who struggles with Alzheimer’s disease. For Ali, the film’s broader message transcends romance.

“It’s about how love can be the music in your heart that keeps you alive through all tragedies,” he said. “A love that survives 78 years without meeting or even speaking to the person you love.” Ali hopes that beneath the appetite for action, viewers still seek a deeper meaning. In one scene, a young person “wonders whether... that kind of love was possible only in the old times”, he said. “It is very difficult for the younger generation to find that kind of love. They are yearning for it, they seek it in films.”

The song “Kya Kamaal Hai” marks a collaboration between Diljit Dosanjh, A.R. Rahman, Imtiaz Ali, and lyricist Irshad Kamil. Speaking about his collaboration with Diljit, the director mentioned, “This special collaboration with Diljit Dosanjh is our expression of solidarity with those affected by such tragedies. Partition, which forms the basis of Main Vaapas Aaunga, forced millions to leave home, and that reality continues in many parts of the world today. We would like to present Kya Kamaal Hai as a balm to heal ourselves in the present world.” The movie is slated to hit theatres on June 12, 2026.

Agencies