Imtiaz Ali reveals why he broke his no-repeating-actors rule for Diljit Dosanjh and Ranbir Kapoor

Imtiaz Ali (Picture via Instagram)

Filmmaker Imtiaz Ali recently opened up about why he chose to work again with actors Ranbir Kapoor and Diljit Dosanjh despite once having a personal rule of not repeating actors in his films. Speaking in an interview, the director admitted he had long believed that collaborating with the same actor repeatedly could lead to creative exhaustion or familiarity that might affect the freshness of a project.

Imtiaz Ali reveals why he broke his golden rule for Ranbir and Diljit

Imtiaz explained that earlier in his career, he consciously avoided casting the same performers again because he feared carrying a "hangover" from their previous collaborations. He believed directors and actors might unintentionally repeat emotional beats, mannerisms or dynamics from earlier films if they teamed up too often. According to him, maintaining creative distance helped him discover fresh energies and perspectives with every project.

However, the filmmaker admitted his perspective gradually changed after working with Ranbir Kapoor and Diljit Dosanjh. Imtiaz collaborated with Ranbir on Rockstar and later reunited with him for Tamasha. Despite initially worrying that the second partnership might feel repetitive, he realised the actor brought a completely different emotional depth and interpretation to the new film. He said their creative understanding actually helped strengthen the storytelling rather than limit it.

The director also praised Diljit Dosanjh, with whom he worked on Amar Singh Chamkila. Imtiaz shared that Diljit's sincerity, instinctive acting style and musical understanding deeply impressed him during the making of the film. He added that some actors naturally evolve with each collaboration, making repeated partnerships creatively exciting instead of restrictive.

On how filmmaking his changed over the years

Imtiaz further reflected on how filmmaking itself has changed his outlook over the years. He admitted that while rules may seem important initially, experience often teaches filmmakers to trust instinct and emotional connection more than rigid creative principles. The director said meaningful collaborations sometimes deserve to continue if both the filmmaker and actor are able to discover something new together each time.

Known for emotionally layered films like Jab We Met, Love Aaj Kal, Rockstar, Tamasha and Amar Singh Chamkila, Imtiaz Ali remains one of Bollywood's most distinctive storytellers. His comments have now sparked discussions among fans about his memorable collaborations with both Ranbir Kapoor and Diljit Dosanjh.