Imtiaz Ali says he heard ‘Bollywood nahi chalega’ multiple times

Filmmaker Imtiaz Ali shared his opinion on people writing off the Hindi film industry in 2022 as well as the comeback of Bollywood films the next year. Speaking with a leading media house, Imtiaz shared that he heard ‘Bollywood nahi chalega (Bollywood won’t survive)’ many times. He added that cinema didn’t die because of dreamers like him.

Imtiaz said, “I have heard multiple times that Bollywood won’t survive. When I entered the industry, people said, ‘Now theatre is over. It won’t work’.”

He also added, “Even before that, when VCR came, people said the same things. When colour television came, there was a similar opinion. People have said many times that ‘cinema will shut down’ but that didn’t happen because dreamers like us watch and make films.”

Imtiaz is all set for the release of his upcoming film, ‘Amar Singh Chamkila’. It will premiere on April 12 on ‘Netflix’. The drama will narrate the untold true story of the late Punjabi singer, who is referred to as the ‘Elvis Presley of Punjab’. Diljit Dosanjh will play the role of Amar, while Parineeti Chopra will play his wife and singing partner, Amarjot.

The film will transport the audiences to the vibrant and rhythmic world of Punjab’s folk music, right to the rustic ‘akhadaas’ (live music performances in villages) where Chamkila’s voice would once roar,