Imtiaz Ali recounted an experience from the filming of Jab We Met that enlightened him about the diverse culture of Punjab.
During his appearance on The Great Indian Kapil Show, The 52-year-old film director disclosed the reason behind a resident's outburst of verbal insults directed at the crew of Jab We Met during filming in Punjab.
The Chamkila director shared, “I have shot in Punjab several times, and in Punjab, during the evening people get into a mood. During the Jab We Met shoot, one man started abusing and saying cuss words, and people were trying to throw him out, but I went and spoke to him."
"So he said that I was doing something very wrong in showing Dara Singhji’s family. He objected to the colour of the turban that was being shown.”
The Jab Harry Met Sejal filmmaker further added, “He said that was wrong, and the costume designer defended saying that the local man was right, but in films this kind of liberty works."
"But that’s when I said if I wanted to take regular liberties in filmmaking, why would I hire him from Punjab? The costume designer agreed to the local man, and then I put him in charge of the set, where till the time we were shooting we would run things through him and ask if he was okay with them."
"So slowly even I came to understand the different colours of Punjab.”