In a recent interview, Imtiaz Ali delved into the intricacies of Tamasha’s most memorable scenes, particularly the climactic moment where Ranbir’s character passionately crawls towards Deepika’s character on a theatre stage.

“This frame where he would enter from a certain place and she would enter from another place and they would be looking at each other from a very close distance, it’s a very difficult shot for actors to play because you are seeing them so close and one can’t formulate exactly what your reaction will be when you come so close to another person who belongs to the gender you are attracted to.”

Imtiaz Ali emphasised the meticulous effort put into crafting the scene, highlighting the challenging dynamics actors face when portraying intense emotional exchanges. He lauded Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone for their unparalleled chemistry, remarking that their on-screen connection was so palpable that audiences speculated about a real-life affair.

“People feel that these people had an affair with each other, but beyond that for the life of an actor, there is a love of performing with each other, which is significant. You might love to act with each other also and these two actors have that. They have a love for acting with each other. That kind of showed in that frame.”

Imtiaz Ali’s Gratitude Towards Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone

Imtiaz Ali expressed his profound gratitude towards Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone, acknowledging that without their exceptional talent and chemistry, Tamasha would not have reached its legendary status.

In an old interview with India Forums, the Love Aaj Kal filmmaker had admitted that if it wasn’t for Deepika and Ranbir, Tamasha wouldn’t have been made.

He had confessed, “I just feel that if he wouldn’t have said yes, I wouldn’t have made the film. I had no other choice. Same for Deepika Padukone because Deepika came in and that is how the character and the role also changed because she was there.”

Imtiaz Ali’s candid admission underscores the indispensable role played by Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone in shaping the narrative and essence of Tamasha, elevating it to the status of a cinematic masterpiece.