Veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt has shared a heartfelt note appreciating Imtiaz Ali 's latest directorial, ' Main Vaapas Aaunga '. The filmmaker described the movie as one that moves away from spectacle and commercial formulas to focus on deeply personal emotions.

According to Mahesh Bhatt, the film explores themes of longing, identity and belonging with sincerity. He believes it leaves a lasting impact by connecting with the emotional experiences that many people carry within themselves.


Opening his note, Mahesh Bhatt drew a contrast between loud, attention-grabbing films and those that quietly touch the audience. He wrote, "There are films that arrive with drums and trumpets, announcing themselves like conquerors. And there are films that arrive quietly, carrying only the fragile cargo of a human heart. Main Vaapas Aaunga belongs to the latter category."


Mahesh Bhatt says the film prioritises emotion over spectacle


Mahesh Bhatt also reflected on the changing landscape of cinema. He observed that many mainstream films today are driven by scale, speed and commercial appeal. In contrast, he believes 'Main Vaapas Aaunga' chooses to focus on the emotional journeys of its characters rather than visual spectacle.


Sharing his thoughts, he wrote, "We live in an age where cinema is increasingly driven by velocity, spectacle and testosterone. The marketplace rewards certainty, noise and instant gratification. In such a climate, a film that pauses to listen to the deeper movements of the human spirit is almost an act of rebellion."


Mahesh Bhatt further explained that what stayed with him after watching the film was not only its storyline but also the emotions running beneath it.


He wrote, "What moved me about 'Main Vaapas Aaunga' is not merely its story. It is the thirst that runs beneath it."


According to Mahesh Bhatt, that "thirst" reflects the timeless human search for purpose, belonging and emotional fulfilment.


Mahesh Bhatt recalls watching 'Highway'


While praising 'Main Vaapas Aaunga', Bhatt also revisited his experience of watching Imtiaz Ali's Highway. He said the film revealed emotional truths that many viewers may not have recognised immediately. Bhatt praised the filmmaker for bringing hidden trauma to the screen with honesty and sensitivity.


Recalling his thoughts on the film, Mahesh Bhatt wrote, "Years ago, when I watched Highway, I felt that Imtiaz Ali had heard something that many of us had missed. Beneath the surface of that film was the silent scream of violated young girls hidden within the presumed safety of homes and families."


He added that the same sensitivity and understanding of human emotions are visible in Main Vaapas Aaunga. According to Bhatt, cinema becomes most meaningful when it encourages viewers to reflect on emotions they often leave unspoken.


Mahesh Bhatt also compared the emotional themes of 'Main Vaapas Aaunga' with those explored in his own acclaimed films, including Arth, Saaransh and Zakhm. Although the stories differ in setting and characters, he believes they are all connected by the same emotional core.


Summing up that idea, Bhatt wrote, "The forms change. The thirst remains."


Calls 'Main Vaapas Aaunga' a film worth celebrating


Towards the conclusion of his note, Mahesh Bhatt acknowledged that some had dismissed the film too quickly. However, he expressed confidence that audiences are capable of recognising honesty and authenticity beyond commercial expectations. He stressed that films rooted in genuine human experiences leave a lasting legacy.


Concluding his message, Bhatt wrote, "Films will come and go. Trends will come and go. Algorithms will come and go. What remains are works that bear the fingerprints of the human being who made them. 'Main Vaapas Aaunga' bears those fingerprints. And for that reason alone, it deserves to be celebrated."


Meanwhile, 'Main Vaapas Aaunga' received 3.5 star rating from ETimes.