Imtiaz Ali On What Inspired Deepika Padukone And Saif Ali Khan's Breakup Party Scene In Love Aaj Kal

Imtiaz Ali's Love Aaj Kal, led by Deepika Padukone and Saif Ali Khan, is undoubtedly one of Bollywood's finest rom-coms. One particular scene that lives in our minds rent-free is the poignant breakup party sequence.

Did you know that Imtiaz Ali drew inspiration from a real-life incident for this scene? The director revealed it himself in a conversation with Komal Nahta on his YouTube channel Game Changers.

Imtiaz Ali said, “I had attended a breakup party in college. Two seniors broke up; they conducted a party. So, art follows life, which follows art. There is a symbiotic relationship between art and society. Both are necessary for growth.” 

The breakup party scene, featuring Jai (Saif Ali Khan) and Meera (Deepika Padukone), showcases the ex-couple celebrating their separation with friends. Instead of shedding tears, they dance and drink the night away, giving their heartbreaking situation a bittersweet farewell.

Take a look at the sequence below:

Love Aaj Kal, released in 2009, follows a modern-day couple navigating love, heartbreak and career tensions to find themselves and each other. Besides the leading duo, the cast also included Rishi Kapoor, Rahul Khanna, and Giselli Monteiro.

Almost a decade later, in 2020, Imtiaz Ali released the film's sequel, Love Aaj Kal 2. It featured Kartik Aaryan and Sara Ali Khan in the lead, alongside Randeep Hooda and Aarushi Sharma in key roles. 

Unlike its predecessor, Love Aaj Kal 2 failed to impress viewers.

Speaking about the disappointing response, Imtiaz Ali said, “I could have done 2-3 things differently. I tried to put too much into it, and that's why it became heavy. The ease of the film was compromised. It became thick, and people didn't understand what happened. Aisa lag raha tha woh dil se nahi ho rahi hai. (It seemed like it wasn't coming from the heart). Secondly, I feel the film lacked freshness."

Imtiaz Ali is currently shooting for O Saathi Re with Avinash Tiwary and Aditi Rao Hydari.