Imtiaz Ali – The name is synonymous to artistry, synonymous to greatness and also synonymous to walking a different path as a filmmaker. Within a very short span of time, this filmmaker created his own signature through his work over the years. Ali began his directorial debut with Socha Na Tha, a quirky love story which was the debut of Abhay Deol, may not be a massive success but surely, the director Ali showed the world that be it success or be it failure, he will always walk a different path. Today, on his 50th birthday, we wish him all the success in the world and also will remind the fans of five of his works which has established Imtiaz Ali as one of best filmmakers of this generation.
Jab We Met (2007)
The second directorial venture of Imtiaz Ali after Socha Na Tha, this film is the first major success for Ali and a milestone film for Kareena as Geet and Shahid Kapoor. A film revolving around a quirky runaway girl and a battle weary businessman, this film was extremely high on entertainment, musical and emotional quotient. Jab We Met, the fourth collaboration between both the Kapoors, received universal critical acclaim and has developed a cult following and been remade in several languages since its release. You will be able to find this movie on Netflix.
Love Aaj Kal (2009)
The third love story and the second immediately after Jab We Met by Imtiaz Ali, this film has revolutionized the way love stories have been told in the country. The movie received highly positive reviews from critics upon release. It was extremely praised for portraying the transformation and the changes of the feeling of pure love over time. The film features Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone, Rishi Kapoor and Giselli Monteiro in the lead and had created a significant impact on the youth at that point of time. In 2020, we have seen Ali releasing the second installment of the film in 2020 which is available on Netflix. By the way, Love Aaj Kal is available via JioCinema.
Rockstar (2011)
This film has Ranbir Kapoor all over it. One of the biggest collaborations between Imtiaz Ali and A R Rehman happened with Rockstar as the film revolves around a highly talented albeit misguided and short-tempered musician and his journey through stardom. Ali created a musical journey with this film so brilliant that it went to become one of the highest grossing films of 2011 and has gone on to achieve a cult following over the years. You will also find this movie in JioCinema.
Highway (2014)
Imtial Ali’s first collaboration with Alia Bhatt and Randeep Hooda, this film is the most underrated one in the list. Highway is an exceptional example of brilliance in direction and acting. The road drama film centers around Veera, a high-class girl who, in contradiction, discovers freedom after being kidnapped in the mountains. This film deals with the vulnerability of womanhood alongwith child abuse and it’s actually an eye opening film for the Indian crowd. Though the movie received mixed reviews, it’s still a gem of a movie and is available in Disney+ Hotstar.
Tamasha (2015)
The second collaboration between Ali and Ranbir Kapoor, this film is the perfect example of complex non-linear screenplay in recent times. The plot of Tamasha centers around Ved Vardhan Sahni portrayed by Kapoor in three stages–as a 9-year-old child, a 19-year-old adolescent and a 30-year-old adult who actually wants to shatter all the stereotypes of life and become a master storyteller. A brilliant Kapoor, a praiseworthy Deepika Padukone and a fantastic A R Rehman, this film is supremely artistic execution by Imtiaz Ali. A nominee of numerous accolades, Tamasha is available on Netflix.
So, what are you waiting for? Wish the master filmmaker Imtiaz Ali a Happy Birthday and jump in binging.
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