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Imtiaz Ali reacts to criticism over his casting couch remark; ‘Of course, terrible things have happened...'
Imtiaz Ali explained that he was venting his frustration over how the actions of a few have 'tarnished the reputation' of otherwise respectful and well-behaved men.
Imtiaz Ali has come under criticism for his remarks on the casting couch in Bollywood, with filmmaker-writer Vinta Nanda accusing him of speaking on behalf of women. In response to the backlash, Ali clarified that his comments were misunderstood. Addressing the controversy, he took to his Instagram Story to react to the criticism and Vinta’s remarks. He reshared a post highlighting her critique to present his perspective and stated, "Of course, terrible things have happened, and they continue to happen."
After Vinta's post criticizing him for the remark, Imtiaz Ali wrote on social media (now deleted), "Uh oh there seems to be a misunderstanding that I must clarify. I haven't denied or disputed the tons of harassment cases that Vinta ji and many other friends have spoken about; in fact these incidents are deeply disturbing and must be dealt with severely and consistently."
He added, “I was pointing out that it is doubly frustrating that the entire film industry, all those hundreds of men on every set who are otherwise remarkably well-mannered, get a bad name for the acts of a few."
Ali continiued, "Of course, terrible things have happened and continue to happen and they are shameful - as an industry and nation, we should have a zero-tolerance policy towards them. We have to uphold our honour together and regardless of gender."
At the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa, filmmaker Imtiaz Ali addressed the issue of the casting couch in Bollywood, dismissing the notion that compromising guarantees success in the industry. As reported by India Today, he shared his perspective based on his years of experience as a director in the Hindi film industry.
Ali remarked that while the casting couch is often discussed, it does not assure career advancement. He explained that if a woman or girl feels pressured to compromise, it does not necessarily increase her chances of landing a role.
He emphasized the importance of self-respect, noting that only when a person respects themselves will others take them seriously. Ali further added that directors, including himself, evaluate individuals based on their self-worth before considering them for roles.
However, Ali’s comments drew criticism, particularly from filmmaker-writer Vinta Nanda, who took issue with his remarks. In an Instagram post, she questioned his authority to speak on women’s experiences in the entertainment industry.
Nanda argued that women like Kareena Kapoor Khan are protected due to privilege but that the casting couch undeniably exists. She criticized the decision to invite Ali to speak on behalf of women at IFFI, suggesting it was an attempt to downplay the reality of the industry.
In her post’s caption, she tagged Imtiaz Ali, expressing her dismay at his statements. She called out his lack of firsthand experience on the subject and questioned his credibility, challenging the notion that the entertainment industry is free from such issues.
At the same event, Imtiaz Ali recounted instances where he had to send individuals away from various locations or sets, saying it had only happened three times in his career.
He mentioned one such incident during the filming of Highway in 2013 when they were shooting on a rural highway with Alia Bhatt and Randeep Hooda. Due to the lack of proper facilities, Alia had to manage in unconventional locations, and Ali recalled sending someone away from the set for attempting to linger around her during that time.
However, hours later, Ali retracted his statement, clarifying that no misconduct had occurred on the Highway set. In a social media post, he wrote, "Making a slight clarification—there was no misdemeanor on the sets of the movie Highway, and nobody was sent back from that unit. The unit of Highway was exemplary."
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