#ImtiazAli in #DirectorsDiaries with 11 directors speaks about his life and films.

I first met #ImtiazAli when he visited a production house I was working with; he had come in to pitch his script. I realized he was a great narrator of stories. His narration of each script lasted between one and two hours, without stopping or pausing and without referring to any script or document. He narrated them purely from memory. They must have resided deep within him. He maintained eye contact throughout the narration and he did not relent until it finished. 

I saw his first film, Socha Na Tha (2005), after I saw his second, Jab We Met (2007). Before he made Socha Na Tha, I met him accidentally at the office of a producer-director. I was there to pitch my script when he happened to be there. In those brief moments in the lobby, he came across as encouraging and affectionate, even though we were not friends. 

His films that I love the most are Jab We Met and Love Aaj Kal. When I walked out of the cinema after watching Jab We Met, I remember feeling immensely entertained and the feeling remained with me for a long time.

Years later, when I met him for my book after Rockstar (2011) had released, he was the same humble and affectionate person I had met years earlier when he did not have any film to his credit. 

When I gifted him the first print copy, of our book, he held her fondly, opening it randomly he brought her closer and smelled her pages, just as I do when I buy a new book, and he told me in a ‘brotherhood’ way, “It took you four years to write this book, your first book.” (Pauses) “It took me four to make my first film. This book will bring you more than you can see now.”

Imtiaz Ali’s 1st film being his film school & our book: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzC18coaoLw

#RakeshAnandBakshi #DirectorsDiaries https://www.facebook.com/DirectorsDiaries

The Directors on Cinema & Filmmaking: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8bnPI95HCs

The directors’ Beginnings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgbvst-mhOw

The directors’ Convictions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQgoJwP1sd8

Zoya Akhtar on being a 1st time film maker: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsdg8UNfwKs