MUMBAI | October 29, 2026 ; Filmmaker Imtiaz Ali has highlighted the emotional power of watching films on the big screen, arguing that while digital platforms offer endless content, cinema halls provide something increasingly rare in modern life — a shared human experience.
Speaking on the opening day of a film festival in Mumbai, Ali reflected on how viewing habits have changed since the COVID-19 pandemic and why the collective experience of cinema remains special.
📱 THE DIGITAL BOOM — BUT AT WHAT COST?
Ali observed that people today consume far more content through reels, stories and other digital formats, often watching alone on their phones or personal devices.
While digital platforms have transformed entertainment, he believes this increasingly individual experience can leave people feeling isolated.
“Humans were not created to live isolated from everyone,” Ali said, explaining how sharing the same emotions with an audience can create a unique sense of connection.
🍿 WHY THEATRES STILL MATTER
For Ali, cinema is about more than simply watching a story unfold on screen. It is about experiencing laughter, sadness, excitement and silence alongside strangers who are emotionally connected to the same story.
✨ A shared emotional journey.
✨ A stronger connection between stories and audiences.
✨ A collective experience that individual screens cannot fully replicate.
The filmmaker expressed hope that audiences would continue visiting theatres and cited the response to his film Main Vaapas Aaunga as an encouraging example.
🎥 THE LESSON FROM “MAIN VAAPAS AAUNGA”
Reflecting on the film’s critical appreciation and commercial performance, Ali described achieving both as a matter of good fortune.
He also stressed the importance of a direct connection between filmmakers and audiences. According to him, artists need to understand people’s responses and expectations to create work that resonates more deeply.
Without that connection, he suggested, filmmaking can become a shot in the dark.
❤️ WHAT’S NEXT FOR IMTIAZ ALI?
Ali revealed that he is currently writing a new story but has not yet decided which actors to cast.
He also remains undecided about the film’s direction, saying it could be contemporary or a romance-drama.
His previous film, Main Vaapas Aaunga, was a star-crossed romance set against the backdrop of Partition, told through the perspective of the present generation.
🌟 THE BIGGER MESSAGE
In an age of endless scrolling and personalised screens, Imtiaz Ali’s reflections raise an important question: can entertainment bring people together even as technology increasingly encourages us to experience the world alone?
Digital platforms may offer convenience and choice, but a packed cinema hall can create a powerful sense of belonging — where an individual emotion becomes a shared memory.
Because sometimes, the real magic of cinema is not just what happens on screen, but what happens between the people watching it together. 🎞️❤️
