In Main Vaapas Aaunga, director Imtiaz Ali presents veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah in the role of a lifetime: a 95-year-old Sikh man haunted by the horrors of Partition, struggling with dementia, and longing to reunite with his first love across the border.
Main Vaapas Aaunga, which has been widely praised as a moving tale of love and longing with striking contemporary relevance, also stars Diljit Dosanjh, Vedang Raina, Sharvari, Dolly Ahluwalia, Rajat Kapoor, Vinod Nagpal, Manish Chaudhari, and Danish Pandor. It released in theatres on Friday.
In his first interview following the release of Main Vaapas Aaunga, the filmmaker told NDTV about working with Naseeruddin Shah for the first time, why he used the term ‘Martians’ to describe hatemongers, and why he believes his new film is a different kind of political film.
‘Naseeruddin Shah Is India’s Best Actor’
There’s nothing Naseeruddin Shah cannot do, and yet what Imtiaz Ali & Co created together in Main Vaapas Aaunga is special. Much could have gone wrong while portraying a dying man living with dementia and mastering the nuances of a language that is not his own. But Naseeruddin Shah was pitch perfect as Ishar Grewal.
Naseeruddin Shah’s Main Vaapas Aaunga performance is all heart.
Imtiaz Ali agrees.
“Naseeruddin Shah never needed to wait for me to prove that he is one of the best artistes of this country. In fact, he is the best actor in the country. Unka ohda pehle se hee hai, sab unko jaante hain. That he accepted the role itself is a big deal for me. He accepted the role because he liked Amar Singh Chamkila and Diljit’s work in the film,” he said.
In Main Vaapas Aaunga, Diljit Dosanjh plays Nirvair, the grandson of Ishar (Naseeruddin Shah) who helps his family decipher his grandfather’s seemingly incoherent ramblings as he drifts between life and death.
Diljit Dosanjh’s Nirvair is the conduit between Ishar’s past and present in Main Vaapas Aaunga.
“Because Naseeruddin Shah is the best actor, he showed the level of his performance and acting that only comes from faith and interest. His desire and passion to act even at this age despite acting for so many years hasn’t reduced even a bit.
“He has kept that passion alive and that is why he is Naseeruddin Shah. He has played so many roles but we had never seen him in the character of a Sikh. With this film, we got to see that too. And, he has looked really beautiful in the turban,” said the director, who returned to the big screen with Main Vaapas Aaunga after 2020’s Love Aaj Kal, the spiritual successor to his 2009 hit of the same name.
Who Are ‘Martians’ In Main Vaapas Aaunga?
Ishar: “Adolf Hitler nu jaande ho?” (“Heard of Adolf Hitler?”)
Nirvair: “Adolf Hitler? Haanji” (“Adolf Hitler? Yes, grandfather”)
Ishar: “Adolf Hitler bhi Mars ka hai, Martian hai” (“He is a Martian too”)
The trailer of Main Vaapas Aaunga begins with this dialogue between Ishar and Nirvair. These ‘Martians’ are often invoked throughout the film. Ishar, whose mind is jumbled with the memories and ghosts of the past, uses the term ‘Martians’ to refer to hatemongers across different eras.
These “Martians” spread hate. We are told they have blue skin, move in mobs, never operate alone, and descend to Earth in UFOs.
Asked why Imtiaz Ali decided to use ‘Martians’ to call out hatemongers, the director said, “Because these people aren’t human beings. They don’t have humanity; calling them animals is disrespecting animals. These people come from a different world. They come from another realm to unleash tyranny. That’s why I called them Martians. I didn’t want to call them animals. Animals are very loving.”
From Partition and migration to displacement, Imtiaz Ali weaves several politically charged themes into Main Vaapas Aaunga, succeeding to a considerable degree. So, can this film be called his most realised or political work yet?
In his reply, the filmmaker said, “The politics of this film isn’t about an ideology or a political party. The breaking up of a nation was not a great incident. It is shown in the film as that. That’s the only politics in the film. The politics is only that there are people like the Martians… We should be wary about converting into Martians.”
‘Main Vaapas Aaunga Is A Ray Of Hope’
In his follow-up to Amar Singh Chamkila, Imtiaz Ali revisits Punjab to bring another turbulent chapter of the region’s history to the screen. Main Vaapas Aaunga, he said, in a way has its roots in Amar Singh Chamkila (2024).
Imtiaz Ali on Main Vaapas Aaunga set.
“It was my learning from Chamkila. Chamkila had a very distinct line – Jab samaaj mein zyada crisis hota hai, tab janta mein entertainment ki bhookh aur bhi badh jaati hai. Today, everywhere you look, on the TV, you will see that there’s war, people are dying and being displaced, cities are becoming ruins.
“In an atmosphere where there is so much animosity, the desire for love will be more… This is the story of old-school love and longing. We are presenting this as a ray of hope at a time when there is so much distress,” he added.
Main Vaapas Aaunga is a “balm of tenderness” that the director hopes will heal hearts and minds in troubled times.
Also Read | Imtiaz Ali Explains Why Naseeruddin Shah Was “Bedridden” On Main Vaapas Aaunga Set
