Filmmaker Imtiaz Ali is an iconic director who is known for films like Jab We Met, Love Aaj Kal and Highway. Apart from this, he also takes special care of the safety of women on the sets of films. Recently, the producer talked about the changing portrayal of women in cinema and other topics.
During a panel discussion with Bhumi Pednekar and Vaani Tripathi at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa, Imtiaz talked about the importance of creating a respectful environment for actresses. During this, he revealed that in his two-decade long career, he had to remove crew members thrice due to misbehavior.
He said that something similar happened during Alia Bhatt and Randeep Hooda starrer Highway. This is about the year 2013. Imtiaz said, ‘We were shooting in a remote area. There was no arrangement for a vanity van. Alia had to go here and there to change clothes or to the washroom etc.’
After this, there was a buzz that Imtiaz Ali fired a crew member for snooping around Alia Bhatt and making her uncomfortable. However he quashed the rumors of firing a crew member from the sets of Highway in his instagram stories as he said that the cast was exemplary.
Apart from this, he also talked about the issue of casting couch. He said, ‘I have been in this film industry for about 15 to 20 years. I have heard a lot about casting couch. A girl comes, she is scared and feels the need to compromise. I want to tell you that if a woman or girl cannot say ‘no’, then her chances of success do not necessarily increase’.
Imtiaz Ali made his debut as a director with the 2005 film ‘Socha Na Tha’. Amar Singh Chamkila was his last directed film which was released in theaters. Diljit Dosanjh and Parineeti Chopra were seen in the lead roles in this film.
