3 min readMumbaiJun 16, 2026 03:40 PM IST
Imtiaz Ali’s latest directorial Main Vaapas Aaunga is a period romance that serves as both a memorial and redemption of Partition. It’s triggered an emotional response among many, particularly those whose ancestors migrated to India from Pakistan during the tragedy. Even viewers from across the border are now responding to the Partition messaging in the film, including Pakistani filmmakers.
Pakistani filmmaker lauds Main Vaapas Aaunga
Renowned feature and ad film director Umar Nasir Ali, who produces movies under his banner Num Films, took to his Instagram handle on Monday to share a note on Main Vaapas Aaunga, heaping praises on the Imtiaz Ali directorial. “Main Vaapas Aaunga is a beautiful and deeply emotional film, one that stays with you long after it ends,” wrote the director in the caption.
Revealing that his upcoming directorial, tentatively titled Chor Aaye Hum, “echoes a similar sentiment of memory, belonging, and return” around Partition, he was naturally curious to explore Imtiaz’s interpretation of the incident. “As expected, it’s unmistakably Imtiaz Ali,” said Ali. He particularly mentioned the “extraordinary” performance of Naseeruddin Shah and the editing by Aarti Bajaj, hailing it as a “masterclass in cinematic storytelling,” which every film student can learn from.
How Main Vaapas Aaunga explores Partition
Main Vaapas Aaunga spans three generations in India. The first one was severely affected by Partition, with a Sikh family in Sargodha (a city now in Pakistan) forced to flee their homes and migrate to India. In the process, Keenu (Vedang Raina) gets separated from his love interest, Afsana (Sharvari), who belongs to a Muslim family who choose to stay back in Pakistan.
Even though Keenu returns to Sargodha six years later, he learns of an unfortunate incident which compels him to not revisit his past and settle for a new life in India. However, over 70 years later, he’s a 95-year-old rich man (Naseeruddin Shah), who desperately craves to return to Sargodha one last time to complete some unfinished business. His quest is aided by his grandson Nirvair (Diljit Dosanjh), as he battles impending death.
Also Read: From Jab We Met to Main Vaapas Aaunga, Imtiaz Ali finally finds the home he fled
Co-produced by Imtiaz Ali’s Window Seat Films and Applause Entertainment, Main Vaapas Aaunga also stars Dolly Ahluwalia, Manish Chaudhari, Sanjay Suri, Rajat Kapoor, Banita Sandhu, and Anjana Sukhani, among others. Imtiaz also reunites with his usual suspects in the crew, including Aarti Bajaj, music composer AR Rahman, and lyricist Irshad Kamil.
