Can't think of film without man-woman relationship: Imtiaz Ali

By Robin Bansal

New Delhi, Oct 30 (IANS) He is not resting on his laurels after the success of "Love Aaj Kal". Imtiaz Ali is already thinking about different stories and scripts to make into film but says whatever he makes will have the man-woman relationship as its focus.

"I haven't decided yet which story I am going to make next. I have a few stories swimming around in my mind. I don't know how they are going to take shape or which one is going to become a compulsive reason to make a film," Ali told IANS in an interview.

"All the stories that I have, have something to do with a man-woman relationship. I can't think of any story that doesn't involve a man-woman relationship," he added.

The three-film old director also hinted at a spy movie with a similar background.

"I also have a story which is a kind of secret service type where there is a guy who discovers himself by being the obscure secret service guy. But even there, though there is not the presence of too many women, the enduring trait is his relationship with a woman who won't be seen on screen too much," said the 38-year-old.

Asked about his affinity towards such themes, he said: "There is no deliberate reason why that happens. May be I just want to discover it."

He added: "I don't want to restrict myself but at the same time I'm not going to try to prove that I'm different or I can reinvent myself. I'll just make the movie that I think is the best that I can make," said the director who struck gold with "Jab We Met".

"I don't represent a style or a function or a system of working. I only represent myself and I am a victim of my own limitations. But I have an advantage too. I am a man of common taste. What I like generally people tend to like too. It's a boon," he added.

Despite his films being a hit, Ali is known for his self-criticism.

"That's exactly how I feel about my movies. I know that my movies have had certain lapses. It wasn't perfect. None of my movies were. More than anyone else I am aware of what those mistakes were.

"After a while I start to see defects in them and they start becoming more and more and after a certain point I start to dislike it. And I start wishing I could correct certain obvious mistakes," he explained on the sidelines of the 11th annual Osian's Cinefan Film Festival of Asian and Arab Cinema.

Rumours were rife that he had signed a deal with Ashtavinayak Cinevision Pvt. Ltd. for a film.

Asked about it, he said: "I haven't signed a deal with Ashtavinayak yet, but we are in discussion so that I make a film for them."

And what about his deferred project "Rockstar"?

"'Rockstar' is a story that I have, but I still don't know what to do with it. I am trying to figure it out," said Ali.

(Robin Bansal can be contacted at robin.b@ians.in)

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