I have highest regard for Deepika Padukone, directing her is an experience: Imtiaz Ali

Filmmaker Imtiaz Ali and actor Deepika Padukone have worked together for Love Aaj Kal and Tamasha.

Filmmaker Imtiaz Ali has cast several top heroines in his films, be it Kareena Kapoor Khan, Anushka Sharma or Alia Bhatt, but there’s one actor he can’t stop gushing about — Deepika Padukone. The two collaborated for Love Aaj Kal (2009) and Tamasha (2015).

“Directing her (Deepika) in any film is an experience in its own; one gets to learn a lot of things,” says Imtiaz, who adds that Deepika is very different from her contemporaries.

“She is powerful and a good actor. I have highest regard and love for her. Her understanding and dedication for a character is what makes her special and different from others.”

Imtiaz — who has also directed films such as Socha Na Tha (2005), Rockstar (2011), Highway (2014) and Jab Harry Met Sejal — reveals how he wasn’t convinced about Deepika being the right choice for Tamasha.

“Initially, I didn’t want her to play that part because I didn’t know if it was worth her while, but she said she wanted to do it. I knew that she’d understand the darkness and pain of the emotion very well. So, that’s why I decided to go ahead with her,” he says.

Is The Ring the breakthrough film Shah Rukh Khan is looking for?

Filmmaker Imtiaz Ali says his forthcoming movie with superstar Shah Rukh Khan is an attempt to break free from all assumptions, and work on something which the two of them have not done so far.

Tentatively titled The Ring, slated for release in August next year, the movie marks first collaboration between the 51-year-old actor and the director.

For Imtiaz, who has directed six films in his Bollywood career of more than a decade, there is no pressure with regard to directing Shah Rukh or making a certain type of film that the actor is known for. “No. That is not the arrangement with which we are working. The reason why Shah Rukh and I are working is because both us wanted to do something which we were not doing really,” said Imtiaz.

Through his films, the 45-year-old director has often tried to tap the modern-day relationships and portray contemporary romance on the big screen.



Imtiaz, whose last film was Tamasha, says he did not want to stick to a certain kind of movie-making and feels even the Fan actor wanted to come out and try something new. “For me, I didn’t want to fall into pattern of certain type of film. And he (Shah Rukh) wanted to break out of the pattern that he was in. That’s the reason why we got to work.”

In the film, Shah Rukh is said to be playing a tourist guide and would be seen opposite actress Anushka Sharma.

Unlike Imtiaz’s last three films -- Tamasha, Highway and Rockstar -- the music of which was scored by A R Rahman, The Ring will bring back composer Pritam, who dished out chartbuster music for the director’s movies like Jab We Met and Love Aaj Kal.

When asked if The Ring will be in a similar space to these two films, Imtiaz said as of now his aim is to just make the film honestly without any comparisons. “I am not really thinking of it that way. I am just thinking of this particular story and trying to make it in the best way possible, whether it turns out closer to Jab We Met or Rockstar, that I don’t know,” he said.

Video: Farah Khan, Imtiaz Ali & Raj Kumar Hirani on Koffee With Karan

Full Episode of Koffee With Karan with Farah Khan, Imtiaz Ali & Raj Kumar Hirani-Videos

Videos of Koffee With Karan (KWK) with Farah Khan, Imtiaz Ali & Raj Kumar Hirani

Some Reactions From Bollywood On the Mumbai Terror Attack

Ashish Chowdhary

In The Darkest Hour - Aashish Chaudhary

Among the many Mumbaikars, who went around searching for their loved ones on the night after terrorists struck, was Ashish Chowdhary who went to Trident Hotel last morning to search for his sister who was trapped inside the hotel. He waited outside the hotel like many others, in vain. We spoke the actor around 7:30 pm and he had still no news of his sister.

Update at 04:00 PM: Actor Ashish Chowdhury's sister, who was among those trapped in the Trident Hotel standoff, dies in the hotel.

Some Bollywood Personalities React On the Mumbai Terror Attack

Imtiaz Ali
“It's time for us to understand that we can't be scared. This happened to us because we have taken it lying down each time. And we raise no questions, we are letting all this happen to us. We need to question the people in power and take responsibility ourselves to bring the right people to power. What has happened to the city is completely unimaginable. Instead of pointing fingers and finding faults, we need to wake up and take charge of the situation, nipping the problem at
the bud.”

Mahesh Bhatt
“Terrorism is here to stay and that is the grim reality we have to face. And if we thought it happened only in Afghanistan or Pakistan, and that we were wellprotected, that delusion has now crumbled. We now have to face the fact that terror is also in Vile Parle. We have to understand that our politicians are singularly incapable of restoring peace, and that by choosing to be a war tool of the US, we are paying a very high price. The only peace we will now see is the peace between wars. Let me tell you, you ain't seen nothing yet.

Rohan Sippy
Rohan Sippy's My President is Coming, which was due to release today, has been postponed indefinitely owing to the unrest caused by the terrorist attacks. Rohan had to even stop the special preview of the film midway on Wednesday at Fame Adlabs, Andheri. Rohan Sippy said, “I am yet to come to terms with what has happened. Watching a heritage hotel like the Taj burning
(on television) was heartbreaking.”

Rahul Bose: Enough! We don't have 9 lives
The absence of duty on part of the politicians is the sole reason for this tragedy. We don't need new terror laws to stop a ship-full of grenades and guns from entering our city, we simply need to do our job well. We get frisked and our cars get checked, but how did these terrorists waltz into these hotels with AK47s? Why is our anti-terror plan not in place? This is the largest psychologically damaging blow on our city, but we will recover, simply because we have no choice. But, the time has come to ask for another choice. The people are not going to tolerate an event of such intensity, again. Politicians should not take us for granted. We are not gifted with nine lives.

Pooja Bedi: Please Implement Enough is Enough now
The city has been subjected to non-stop acts of violence, first by political parties like the Shiv Sena and the MNS and now by armed terrorists. I wish the government had taken a stand a long time back, stating that enough is enough and taking appropriate action against the perpetrators of violent acts. However, it's never too late for the government to implement this slogan — starting now.

Suchitra Krishnamurthy: We need better-trained security

It's deplorable! The government is not equipped to handle a handful of terrorists. I am not discounting people who have worked hard, kudos to them. But we need better-trained security personnel.