IFFI 2024: Imtiaz Ali recants statement about sending back Highway crew member to ensure Alia Bhatt's safety on set

In an odd turn of events, Imtiaz Ali has recanted a statement made by him during a panel discussion session at IFFI 2024, despite it being positive

Recanting a foot-in-mouth moment makes complete sense. On the face of it then, director Imtiaz Ali going out of his way to take back a statement made by him a mere few hours ago, seems odd. Odd because the general context of what he was saying, was that he ensured set safety for a young Alia Bhatt as they shot for Highway (2014), by sending a crew member back who appeared to be hovering around her a little too much — appears positive. But Imtiaz appears to want to have nothing to do with the anecdote.

Earlier today, taking to his Instagram stories, the director shared a screenshot of an article referencing his anecdote he shared while speaking at a panel discussion at IFFI Goa 2024, and atop it wrote: 'making a slight clarification - there was no misdemeanour on the sets of the movie Highway and nobody was sent back fromt that unit. The unit of highway was exemplary :)'.

For context, Imtiaz had made a very elaborate comment on the topic of women's safety in Hindi cinema, especially on the sets of films. In supplementing his argument, he cited two examples — one involving Kareena Kapoor from the sets of Jab We Met (2007) which was a thoroughly positive anecdote, and another involving Alia Bhatt from the sets of Highway, which reportedly ended with him sending a crew member back after they kept attempting to hover around Alia, as she say, changed, or tended to nature's call. Imtiaz had shared, "There have been three times in my entire life that I've sent people back, from different places, from different sets. I am happy that it's only three. I remember once it happened on the sets of Highway. We were shooting on the rural highway with Randeep and Alia and there were no proper vanity vans back in 2013. Alia had to change, go for nature's call in different, unusual places. Once I had to send this guy back from the set when he was trying to be around her during that time...".

What's wrong with the statement?

It's getting some pushback. The Bebo and Alia anecdotes shared by Imtiaz were actually part of a larger discussion on women's safety in the film industry in general, and specifically on set. Though Imtiaz had anecdotes to supplement what he was saying, they were preceded by a sort of blanket statement which essentially dismissed the very real threat to safety that women in the film industry are potentially subjected to, on a daily basis, followed by a similarly toned statement about casting couch. For instance, Imtiaz said, "I have been a director in the Hindi film industry for 15-20 years. I have heard a lot about the casting couch. A girl comes in, she’s scared, and she feels the need to compromise. Let me tell you, if a woman or girl cannot say ‘no,’ her chances of succeeding don’t necessarily increase. It’s not like if a girl compromises, she’ll definitely get a role".

Filmmaker-writer Vinita Nanda for one, has publicly called out Imtiaz over his blanket statements. An excerpt from her note read, "Why has IFFI Goa selected him to speak on behalf of women? Is it to whitewash the truth? If men like him had the courtesy to abstain from speaking o a subject they have no experience about, one will believe that change is indeed taking place".

Do you think Imtiaz is in the wrong with his statement?