Here's when Diljit Dosanjh, Sharvari, and Vedang Raina will begin shooting for Imtiaz Ali's partition-era love story

Following Amar Singh Chamkila (2024), filmmaker Imtiaz Ali is preparing to helm a film set in the 1940s. Diljit Dosanjh, Sharvari, and Vedang Raina are the leads of the director's next untitled period drama that takes place during India's Partition.

Romance at the core of a historical backdrop

Ali typically sets his films in tumultuous historical times, but this time he's putting romance at the heart of it all. As per MidDay, according to an insider, the plot centres on two young lovers whose lives are upended by the events that transpire after Partition. Looking at Partition and its aftermath through the eyes of two lovers, the film takes place in the 1940s. The insider revealed that as the film revolves around different generations of families, Imtiaz is in talks with two more leading ladies for other prominent roles. Sharvari plays the young female lead opposite Vedang.

Set in Punjab, the film will also include Naseeruddin Shah and his character's specifics are unknown at this time, but his casting suggests a story that spans generations. The project is presently in the planning stages. Look tests for Sharvari's and Vedang's portions were recently finished. To faithfully portray the era, Ali has re-engaged Sheetal Sharma, with whom he worked on Amar Singh Chamkila before, this time as costume designer.

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Filming timeline

The filming is scheduled to start in August, barring any unforeseen circumstances. According to the source, the film would not depict Pakistan or openly address political events, even if it is set around the Partition era. The film will be a vehicle for Ali to explore the anguish that comes with migration. The film will only mention Pakistan in passing, despite its subject matter.

Partition stories are making a comeback in Hindi cinema, which is fitting given the timing of the project. The upcoming Aamir Khan-produced film Lahore 1947 starring Sunny Deol, which is based on the drama Jis Lahore Nai Dekhya O Jamyai Nai by Asghar Wajahat, also traverses similar territory.

Partition is not merely an event; it is also an emotional turning point for families and individuals, and Ali's film seeks to tackle this by weaving together historical trauma with human narratives of love and displacement.