Ida Ali, daughter of filmmaker Imtiaz Ali, has spent her life immersed in storytelling, but she was determined to approach her own short film independently. She recently teamed up with friend Kareema Barry, her co-host on a podcast channel dedicated to Hindi films, to direct the project together.
How did Ida Ali make her first short film?
Speaking to Hindustan Times, Ida shared, “I had been wanting to direct something which is not related to any brand or any music video. I wanted to do something of my own.” With their podcast already up and running, the duo began wondering if they could take on a film too: “Of course, we could only make a short film. And so we were like, okay, let’s see what ideas we can get. And on a whim, made a short film.” The duo followed this up within a month with a second short titled GUL.
Why does Ida Ali avoid using her industry connections?
Ida and Kareema have also opted for the unconventional move of launching their own production company, building further on the groundwork laid by their year-old podcast. Ida notes she could easily have used her industry ties to bring in known filmmakers, actors, or production houses, but chose to hold back deliberately. “I don’t want anyone to do me favors either. For a short film, if some known name or production house is backing us, it kind of takes away, I think it is not fair. I want everyone who comes on to a project to come on because they are excited about it. When I have something like that to offer to someone with a bigger name, then I would be very happy to work with them,” she says.
What is Imtiaz Ali’s latest film ‘Main Vaapas Aaunga’ about?
Meanwhile, Imtiaz Ali is earning acclaim for his recently released ‘Main Vaapas Aaunga,’ which tells the story of a 95-year-old man who suffers a stroke while trying hard to reach Pakistan. As he keeps drifting in and out of old memories, his grandson slowly pieces together his past from before the Partition. But even with these memories returning, the old man finds it hard to feel at peace in his last days. The film looks at how Partition still affects people’s lives long after the borders were drawn. It stars Naseeruddin Shah, Diljit Dosanjh, Vedang Raina, and Sharvari in the lead roles.
