Happy birthday, Imtiaz Ali: Common denominators across his acclaimed films
Filmmaker and writer Imtiaz Ali has turned 52. Regarded as one of the most celebrated directors in the contemporary era, he started his directorial career with Socha Na Tha in 2005, and since then, has delivered films that have achieved cult-classic status such as Jab We Met, Tamasha, and Rockstar. Most of his movies are inked in his trademark directorial style. Let's decode it.
Most of his movies are centered around characters' journeys
Journeys are an integral constituent of Ali's films, and it's often through these long journeys that people meet each other and fall in love. Remember how the titular characters met in Jab Harry Met Sejal and the fun Ved and Tara had in Corsica? Geet-Aditya's seemingly unlikely but eventually passionate love in Jab We Met, too, transpired through their time on the train together.
Memorable female characters
Ali is known for giving Kareena Kapoor Khan one of her career's most memorable roles in the form of Geet from Jab We Met, and Alia Bhatt's portrayal of Veera in Highway took the audience and critics by surprise. Similarly, Deepika Padukone's roles as Meera (Love Aaj Kal) and Tara (Tamasha) are other examples of how Ali carves memorable female characters in his cinema.
Characters look inward during the course of the film
The most discernible identifier of Ali's movies is the way the protagonist is not just on a literal, but also a metaphorical, spiritual journey—it's a gaze inward for them, a discovery of their self. This becomes heavily conspicuous in the way Aditya (Jab We Met), Ved (Tamasha), and Jordan (Rockstar) operate. Their journeys are relieving, providing them with a sense of closure and solace.
Ali's ear for good music has given us terrific tracks
What is an Imtiaz Ali film without its memorable music that ripens the story? For instance, Agar Tum Saath Ho narrates the tale of a heart ruptured by unrequited love, and Aaoge Jab Tum captures the couple's sentiments—divided by distance but still fiercely united by the intense hope of their reunion. And, as fans say, Rockstar's entire album is the movie's second lead!
