I drew inspiration from women in my life to shape female characters on-screen: Imtiaz Ali

"The women in my life, my mother, cousins, wife, and daughters have always inspired me with their complexity and intelligence, and portraying them with honesty has never been a conscious agenda but a natural act of reverence," Imtiaz said.

Imtiaz said this in an interactive session hosted by the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) on insights of the filmmaker's cinematic journey.

The 'Jab We Met' director enthralled the audience proffering the evolving role of storytelling in shaping India’s future.

The thought-provoking session was moderated by former ICC president Shashwat Goenka.

Photo: Avishek Mitra/IBNS

Relishing his early days as a director, Imtiaz shared, "I still, as a director, carry the spirit of the child who once gathered classmates to stage plays, guided by the need to shape something meaningful from imagination."

He added, "When a story arises from a place of truth, it resonates far beyond technique or timing. Music plays a vital role in this, not as ornamentation but as the emotional core that speaks where language cannot, often outliving the story itself."

He emphasised that filmmaking is not a solitary act but a collective endeavour. "The process is deeply collaborative and rooted in intuition, listening, and shared vision," he said. 

Best known for films Jab We Met, Love Aaj Kal, Rockstar, Tamasha, Imtiaz's last directorial project was My Melbourne.

Prior to My Melbourne, his Amar Singh Chamkila, a biopic on late musician Amar Singh Chamkila.

(Reporting by Aaheli Chakraborty, Photos by Avishek Mitra/IBNS)