Mallika Vayalombrone

Why we need Imtiaz Ali. In India we watch cinema to numb thought. Or exaggerate it. We need cinema to compensate for the lack of laughter in our lives. We go to be heard and not to listen. We go to see not to absorb. We form quick opinions leaving no room for uncomfortable perspectives .In the recent times, we want cinema to Mirror our lives. Not reflect it. We comment , judge and compare the cast/ songs / sets, delivery, marketing , anything ... and feel empowered to decide the fate of the film . Never mind our total lack of power over our own lives. We do not go to cinema to feel. We do not want to feel. To feel implies that we engage, we listen, we touch ...ourselves. An Imtiaz Ali film ever so gently, suggests just that. His, maybe flawed but always sincere attempts tug at your soul to align with a narrative that, if you allow, will help you find silent expression. In a country obsessed with shrill decibels this is a tough ask If cinema in India is your great escape from yourself, an Imtiaz Ali film nudges you towards that all important journey to yourself. You matter to him.