Set against the backdrop of India’s Partition, Main Vaapas Aaunga is not a political statement, according to filmmaker Imtiaz Ali. Instead, it looks at the emotional weight that the historic chapter left on the people it divided. At its heart, it’s a sweeping romance, particularly for the younger audience.

“People often say this generation doesn’t have patience. But I feel this generation desires love more desperately than any other. There’s this feeling that meaningful, lasting love existed in the old times, but cannot anymore,” shared Ali.