Filmmaker: Imtiaz Ali: is basking in the success of his latest romantic drama, ‘Main Vaapas Aaunga’. Although the film witnessed a mediocre opening at the box office, strong audience appreciation and positive word-of-mouth helped it gain tremendous momentum in its second week. As the audience continues to connect with the movie, several prominent names from the industry have also come forward to celebrate its success, something that has touched the director deeply.
Industry veterans rallied behind the film
During an appearance on Yuvaa’s Be A Man Yaar podcast, Imtiaz spoke about the unexpected wave of support that came his way. According to him, the most rewarding aspect is seeing people discover personal emotions and experiences through the story of ‘Main Vaapas Aaunga’. He said that many filmmakers, actors and actresses actively encourage the audience to watch the film in theaters without being asked to do so.Sharing some memorable interactions, Imtiaz said, “People want Shekhar Kapur called me and asked, ‘What’s the collection today?’ I have never worked with him. Piyush Mishra sent me videos saying, ‘Houseful in so-and-so theatre, mubarak.’ Subhash Ghai said, ‘Tereko Hero itni pasand hai, tujhe malum hai do hafte mein utar gayi thi. Ghabrao mat, people love this movie (You love Hero so much. Did you know it was taken in theaters for two weeks? Don’t worry), it will be done’.“The filmmaker noted that many within the industry are rooting for the success of ‘Main Vaapas Aaunga’ as they hope it will create more space for heartfelt storytelling and unconventional cinema.
Ayushmann’s contribution left Imtiaz emotional
Imtiaz also opened up about the actor-singer Ayushmann KhurranaIts relevance to film music. He praised Ayushmann for lending his voice to the track ‘Tere Paas Main’ and admitted that the song moved him on a deep emotional level.Recalling the love he received from friends and colleagues, Imtiaz said, “The way he sang the song, I was so touched. I didn’t know what to tell him. He told his entire history. Anurag Kashyap promoted my film more than his. Usne bola teesri film bhi agar tune bana li naa acchi, toh apne ghar mein tera mandir bana lunga. People say that the film industry ke log bade badmash hote hain (He told me, ‘If you can also make a third good film, I will build a temple for you in my house.’ People say that people in the film industry are very smart), but why did Alia put up something for the film, or Ayushmann? Many people promote this film. I don’t even have enough words to express my gratitude to them.”
Anurag Kashyap’s hilarious social media shoutout
Among the loudest cheerleaders for ‘Main Vaapas Aaunga’ is filmmaker Anurag Kashyap. Earlier, she shared a heartfelt and funny post on Instagram celebrating the film and Imtiaz.Anurag wrote, “The fresh brand new @imtiazaliofficial. After his first film CHAMKILA, his sophomore film MAIN VAPAS AAOONGA is running in cinemas. Go watch it and I love you Muttonkhor ❤️. Keep inspiring and breaking our hearts. Aur mere humdumon ko chori karna band karo, humein bhi kaam kaam HAPPY to your BTWDAY to your partner HAPPY. heartbreaking crime.”
Shekhar Kapur praised the film’s box-office journey
Veteran filmmaker Shekhar Kapur also took to social media to praise the film and its performance. He highlighted how ‘Main Vaapas Aaunga’ challenges the belief that a film’s fate is sealed during the opening week.In his message, Kapur wrote, “Thank you, Imtiaz Ali. With your film Main Vaapas Aaunga, you have broken the myth that the first week box-office performance defines the future of a film. You have proved that what matters is a good story, well told. What matters is the respect of your audience.”
Strong growth in second week despite competition
Featuring Naseeruddin Shah, Vedang Raina, Sharvari and Diljit Dosanjh in pivotal roles, ‘Main Vaapas Aaunga’ opened to favorable reviews but initially struggled to attract large audiences. However, the film’s fortunes changed dramatically in its second week as audience recommendations translated into higher footfalls.The romantic drama has reportedly registered a whopping 130 percent jump in collections despite facing competition from ‘Cocktail 2’. On the second Friday, the film earned Rs 1.90 crore, surpassing its opening day numbers. The momentum continued over the weekend, with Saturday’s collections rising to Rs 4.35 crore and Sunday witnessing another rise of Rs 5.75 crore. With strong audience support and continued industry support, ‘Main Vaapas Aaunga’ has remained a consistent performer at the box office.