Imtiaz Ali is pleasantly surprised by the enthusiastic response to his 2011 film Rockstar, which has recently seen a resurgence in theatres 13 years after its original release. Despite being easily available online, the Ranbir Kapoor and Nargis Fakhri-starrer is drawing impressive crowds. “This response reinforces the idea of dreaming. I have seen Rockstar twice since its theatrical re-release,” exclaims the 52-year-old, who further reveals that he never got to see the film properly in a theatre in 2011.

Over the years, the movie has gained cult status among cine-lovers. However, at the time of its original release, the response was polarized. “It was the first time in my career that I received a split response. Some didn’t see the point; some said it was completely crazy. Some loved it. I remember the love; I thought these guys were ‘fidaa-ing’. The percentage of people liking it today is higher than before,” he says. 

The film has currently grossed close to Rs. 3 crore, and Ali is happy. “It has made substantial earnings this time, which matters. It is such a great idea to bring back films like this to theatres, especially at a time when we are questioning the intent of the crowd and saying people are finding it difficult to go to theatres,” he ends.