filmmaker Kunal Kohli back with another honest review and this time it’s for Imtiaz Ali he directed the Partition drama ‘Main Vaapas Aaunga’ which has become a surprise hit at the box office. The film has been winning praise from audiences and the industry alike for its performances and craftsmanship, and Kohli’s latest review adds to the growing chorus with the director going so far as to call it Imtiaz Ali’s “best work” to date.
Kunal Kohli says ‘Main Vaapas Aaunga’ is Imtiaz Ali’s ‘best film’
Sharing a video on Instagram, Kunal Kohli spoke about how deeply personal the film resonated with him. He said, “I just watched ‘Main Vaapas Aaunga’ and the movie left a big impact on me. My bua (aunt) and father used to talk about Partition often and a lot of that was in this movie. They would talk about the horrors and the consequences. And of course, there were family members who never talked about it, which is also shown in the film. The love story is really so innocent, pure and beautiful. This is Imtiaz’s best work. So beautifully has love shown, the news of those days: news was so slow, things traveled so slowly. Whereas today, news and information travel very fast. At that time, they had to go through this huge process of partitioning, figuring out what was wrong with people, making decisions, never forgiving yourself, or rather, people never forgiving you.”Kohli went on to praise the writing and the ensemble cast, saying, “The nuances and layers that Imtiaz has brought to the film with his writing. Each person’s performance, how do you tell an actor apart? Naseer, who has given some of the best performances in Indian cinema, has done it again. It would go down as one of Naseer’s best performances; performance, and he spoke so wonderfully about the differences in the family. We were not all Sooraj Barjatya type families. We all have problems in our families, things you don’t forgive or understand about your parents. And that is what Imtiaz and all the actors in the family have brought out so beautifully.”
Kunal Kohli praises the cast Naseeruddin Shah Rajat Kapoor, Diljit Dosanjh , Vedang Raina i in Sharva
Kohli highlighted the performances of the ensemble, saying, “Rajat Kapoor especially angsts against his father and slowly changes and tries to understand him. Also Diljit – what a performer; the layers he brings to his performance. Sharvari, Vedan – beautiful. Everyone did a great job.”
The scenes that shocked Kunal Kohli the most
Without giving away any major spoilers, Kohli pointed to two specific scenes that left a lasting impression on him, one of which, he says, will stick with him like a nightmare. In the first scene, he shared a personal family connection to the moment: “One of the scenes that hit me the most – no spoilers – I had heard another version of it that my aunt and grandparents had told me. The women on the train used to take poison; when people came to attack, they took the poison and killed themselves. But in this movie, the way the grandmother has portrayed the scene, it shakes you to the core. It will give me nightmares; hit hard.”In the second scene, which involved Diljit Dosanjh’s character confronting his father, Kohli said, “Another one was when Diljit keeps asking his father, ‘Tell us what happened to the women.’ And he says, “All you’re going to get out of it is hatred between two religions and two communities,” and I don’t think that’s what it was about. And there are many more dialogues that were thrown in casually but meant a lot. The film definitely deserves a second and third viewing. I will take my daughter – she is only 15, but I want her to see the film and understand what happened. It still gave me the truth despite hearing these stories from my grandparents.”Kohli ended his review with unreserved praise for the director, saying, “It’s important for everyone to see this film, to understand the romance and news of that time. Hats off to Imtiaz: I love you, what a film you’ve made. This is your best film.”
About ‘Main Vaapas Aaunga’
‘Main Vaapas Aaunga’ follows the journey of a 95-year-old man who suffers a stroke while trying to travel to Pakistan. As fragments of his memory begin to return, his grandson slowly uncovers the story of a life that existed before Partition, revealing long-buried relationships, heartbreak and the lasting impact of history. Directed by Imtiaz Ali, the film marks the filmmaker’s fifth collaboration with composer AR Rahman, following their previous work together in ‘Rockstar’, ‘Highway’, ‘Tamasha’ and ‘Amar Singh Chamkila’. The film stars Diljit Dosanjh as Nirvair Singh, Naseeruddin Shah as Ishar Singh, Vedang Raina as Keenu/Ishar Singh Grewal and Sharvari as Afsana/Jiya. The supporting cast features Anjana Sukhani, Banita Sandhu, Sanjay Suri, Rajat Kapoor and Nikhat Khan.According to Sacnilk, the film has minted Rs 51.51 crore domestic nett with worldwide gross of Rs. 77.64 million.