Exclusive | Imtiaz Ali Teases Next Film After ‘Main Vaapas Aaunga’: ‘A Return Gift to The Audience’

Where is Imtiaz Ali channeling all the love he received for Main Vaapas Aaunga? Right into his next project.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter India, the filmmaker revealed that he is currently prepping for his upcoming feature, which is still organically taking shape before he officially zeroes in on the core narrative.

Set against the turbulent backdrop of Partition, Main Vaapas Aaunga tackled themes of love, longing, and displacement. After a sluggish start at the box office, the film staged a remarkable turnaround, defying early trade projections that capped its lifetime haul at under ₹15 crore to now closing its run at approximately ₹65 crore India net.

"I have received a lot from the audience in this film. When I meet them, I feel like doing something for them. And what can I do? Make a film. So I feel like making a good film that they will love. It will be like a return gift to them," Ali said at the opening night of the Monsoon Film Festival, curated in collaboration with The Hollywood Reporter India and Nilaya Anthology.

When asked if he has an idea of what he wants to make next or if it is a blank slate, the filmmaker added, "I don't know what kind of film it's going to be, honestly. It's almost like I want to repay the audience. It's a blank-ish slate. I've got some ideas. But it's not there really. It's more like a sentiment, some sort of a graph, and some characters. But it's not really a script yet," he added.

Main Vaapas Aaunga stars Vedang Raina, Sharvari, Naseeruddin Shah and Diljit Dosanjh.

Running from July 17 to August 9, 2026, across four weekends, the month-long inaugural edition of the Monsoon Film Festival features a meticulously curated slate of conversations, film screenings masterclasses and workshops. The festival is headlined by voices who continue to shape the evolving worlds of film, art and design.