Filmmaker Imtiaz Ali has revealed that he occasionally forgets he directed the cult classic 'Tamasha' — a candid admission that surfaced during promotions for his latest release, 'Main Vapas Aaunga', in Mumbai on 17 June. The director, who met the press at his office in the Andheri West area of Mumbai alongside actors Vedang Raina and Sharvari, spoke with characteristic introspection about the creative distance that grows between a filmmaker and his own work.

The Detachment from 'Tamasha'

When asked how he processes the emotional separation from a film he has poured himself into, Ali was disarmingly honest. 'When I see 'Tamasha', I don't see my films really, but when I do see a scene of it or something like that — it doesn't appeal to me like my film,' he said.

He elaborated further: 'Sometimes it seems like, 'That's a nice joke. It's a nice smart thing' — because I kind of forget. And then I remember. I was there. All of this happened. And I remember what happened. But what you do remember is your original inspiration.' The remark points to a creative temperament that internalises stories so deeply that, once released, they feel authored by someone else.

Why Creative Detachment Comes Naturally to Him

Ali was equally candid about the mechanics of moving on. 'No, it's not difficult to detach at all. It's very personal. But then it goes away. That's the process of film. It goes away not on its own. Sometimes it goes away because you now are interested in something else. You have a new story,' he explained.

This perspective is consistent with Ali's filmography — a director who has repeatedly reinvented his storytelling grammar across 'Jab We Met', 'Love Aaj Kal', 'Rockstar', and 'Tamasha', rarely returning to the same emotional register twice. Notably, 'Tamasha' (2015), starring Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone, was a polarising release on arrival but has since earned a devoted cult following — making Ali's detachment from it all the more striking.

About 'Main Vapas Aaunga'

'Main Vapas Aaunga' stars Diljit Dosanjh, Naseeruddin Shah, Vedang Raina, and Sharvari. The film explores the depth of human connection and is currently playing in cinemas. It is produced by Birla Studios and Applause Entertainment along with Mohit Choudhary and Shibasish Sarkar of Window Seat Films.

The film has been receiving a positive response since its release, with audiences and critics alike responding to its emotional core — a familiar Imtiaz Ali signature, even if the director himself now views his older work as if it belongs to a stranger.