Imtiaz Ali reveals feeling scared of working with Amitabh Bachchan; recalls saying ‘Inko door se hi pranaam karunga’

Imtiaz Ali reveals feeling scared of working with Amitabh Bachchan; recalls saying 'Inko door se hi pranaam karunga'

As a cinephile who has witnessed the evolution of Bollywood, I must say that my encounter with Imtiaz Ali’s journey is nothing short of captivating. His humble beginnings and apprehension towards working with the legendary Amitabh Bachchan, only to be touched by his down-to-earth nature, is a tale as moving as one of his films.


Imtiaz Ali, the director behind Amar Singh Chamkila featuring Diljit Dosanjh and Parineeti Chopra, rose to fame in Bollywood following the success of Jab We Met (2007). Despite numerous aspirations among actors and filmmakers to collaborate with Amitabh Bachchan, Imtiaz initially harbored doubts about working together due to his initial apprehension. Eventually, the director openly acknowledged that he was initially reluctant and only wanted to extend a friendly greeting from afar to Mr. Bachchan.

In a recent conversation with MidDay, Imtiaz Ali admitted his apprehension about encountering Amitabh Bachchan, expressing confidence that the renowned actor would accept a collaboration with him.

As a devoted admirer, I’d like to share that, in my perspective, Amitabh Bachchan, being the megastar he is, seems too grandiose in comparison. This is not to diminish Shah Rukh Khan’s stardom; it’s just that, for me, Big B holds a special place because of his seniority.

Imtiaz reminisced about witnessing Amitabh Bachchan’s 1985 movie, Geraftaar, in a theater. He mentioned that the crowd would become quite animated after his scene, becoming so carried away with enthusiasm that they actually damaged the seats of the cinema hall due to their excitement and fervor.

“Even now, I’m overcome with excitement, so I decided to pay my respects to Bachchan from afar. He’s just that kind of humble and grounded individual.”

During the same interview, Imtiaz Ali disclosed that he received a letter from Amitabh Bachchan following the premiere of Rockstar. According to the filmmaker, Big B praised his 2011 production featuring Ranbir Kapoor and Nargis Fakhri. He also mentioned that the megastar specifically commented on the exact completion time of the movie in his letter.

Although Imtiaz Ali and Amitabh Bachchan haven’t made a film together thus far, they did join forces for a television advertisement in the past. Back in 2017, director Imtiaz Ali even posted a photo of himself with Mr. Bachchan on his Instagram account.

In this photo, Imtiaz is captured embracing a well-known star on set. He also penned an affectionate message to Big B that said, “Now you’re a director,” my mom told me when I worked with Amitabh Bachchan.” The caption continues, “Amitabh Bachchan…” This means Imtiaz was reminded of his mom’s comment when he collaborated with the legendary actor.

Imtiaz Ali’s other notable works include Tamasha, Love Aaj Kal, and Jab Harry Met Sejal.

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2024-08-17 17:07