Imtiaz Ali’s Main Vaapas Aaunga defies industry norms, word-of-mouth drive Rs 77 cr earning

The film, which explores the lifelong trauma that those who were impacted during the 1947 India-Pakistan Partition suffered, has found resonance among audiences, including youngsters. The film’s cast features Naseeruddin Shah, Diljit Dosanjh, Vedang Raina, and Sharvari, among others.

“We were convinced that this film would find a place in people’s hearts,” says Mohit Choudhary, producer at Window Seat Films. “As word of mouth spread, that belief was validated. It reinforced an important lesson: if you truly believe in your film, you shouldn’t be overly influenced by templates, statistics or conventional wisdom.”

Nearly a week before the film’s Friday release, the team began advance screenings across the country. The first screening was reserved for Partition veterans in Delhi as “an ode to the generation that lived through those events”.

After the film’s release week, Ali, who is also the film’s co-writer, travelled from city to city to attend screenings and meet audiences in person. “The idea was to take the film to the people and let them decide,” says Choudhary.

Shibasish Sarkar, also one of the film’s producers, believes the approach reflected a larger shift in theatrical marketing. “Post-pandemic, audience behaviour has changed. Today, the audience itself is your biggest marketing tool. If they believe in the film, they become your strongest advocates.”

The film’s music promotions had started much before its release, giving the soundtrack time to find listeners. Sarkar credits Ali’s conviction for sustaining the campaign even when the opening box-office numbers were modest. “Many filmmakers aren’t comfortable meeting audiences directly, especially if opening numbers are below expectations. But Imtiaz wanted to engage with viewers regardless of the box-office collection,” Sarkar says and adds, “Imtiaz knew Main Vaapas Aaunga deals with a difficult subject. But he believed he’d balanced it with hope, humanity and love.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Imtiaz Ali (@imtiazaliofficial)

That confidence, they say, was rewarded as the film gathered momentum in the second week. The makers also point to the film’s overseas performance, with strong openings in the US, Canada, the UK and Australia, while markets such as the Gulf mirrored India’s slower but steady word-of-mouth growth.

Commenting on the film’s financial performance, Sarkar argues that box-office success must be viewed in the context of investment rather than headline gross figures. “The investment was controlled, and over half the cost had already been recovered through digital, satellite and music rights before release. That meant we weren’t entirely dependent on the box-office collections,” he said. With collections strengthening after the opening weekend, he says the film is now on course to satisfy investors and distribution partners.
Looking back, both the producers see the film’s theatrical journey as proof that conviction, coupled with audience engagement, can overcome industry convention.