'Everybody In The World Knows Him': Imtiaz Ali Credits Diljit Dosanjh For Strong Poster Appeal In Main Vaapas Aaunga

Filmmaker Imtiaz Ali, whose recent directorial Main Vaapas Aaunga hit theatres on June 12, had a slow start at the box office despite receiving positive audience reviews. The period romantic drama, set against the backdrop of the 1947 Partition of India and Pakistan, stars Sharvari, Vedang Raina, Diljit Dosanjh and Naseeruddin Shah, among others.

Imtiaz Ali Says Diljit Dosanjh Was Advantage For Main Vaapas Aaunga

Recently, Imtiaz spoke about featuring Diljit on Main Vaapas Aaunga's poster, given that the film has been mounted on a large scale, with Vedang and Sharvari heading the central love story.

He acknowledged Diljit Dosanjh's presence as a major advantage for the film's visibility and told Hindustan Times, "I had no doubt that both these actors will be able to headline this story well, but I also knew that on the poster, there is also Diljit. Everybody in the world knows him and they are interested to see what he's doing. I was sure that there was going to be a poster appeal because Diljit is there.”

On Main Vaapas Aaunga's Slow Box Office Start

Imtiaz admitted that he was expecting a slow start at the box office, stating that the film was not a 'star-driven' project and therefore was never intended to open big. He added that strong word-of-mouth would be key to the film’s long-term performance.

"If it is good, people would go and tell other people to watch it, and that's the only way this film is going to progress. Hopefully it will continue to grow and strengthen itself," said the director.

He also stated that he is happy that the younger generation is watching Main Vaapas Aaunga and liking it, adding that there is usually a phase lag between critical acclaim and box office performance, and he hopes the industry is now moving closer to closing that gap.

Box Office Collection Day 7

Main Vaapas Aaunga collected Rs 2.20 crore on Day 7 across 2,138 screens, marking a 25.7% growth compared to Day 6, which stood at Rs 1.75 crore net collection.