We all cherish Jab We Met, the film that gifted us one of Bollywood’s most memorable train rides. But did you know that behind the charm, there was actual legal drama? It sounds wild, but director Imtiaz Ali has confirmed he once received a non-bailable arrest warrant for the iconic hotel scene in Jab We Met.

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How “chillar nahi hain mere paas” turned into a nightmare

In a light-hearted conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, Imtiaz Ali spilt the beans on how a cheeky scene from Jab We Met became a noose around his neck. He wanted the famous scene where Aditya and Geet check into a shady hotel in Ratlam to be just hilarious. But the locals didn’t take it that way. The locals believed that Imtiaz Ali had represented Ratlam in a bad light and quickly lodged a complaint. In the interview, Imtiaz shared, “The first time there was a court summon for me and then I had a non-bailable arrest warrant because of Ratlam ki galiyan. The chargesheet said that the town, erstwhile known for chivda, fafda, and mixture, has been defamed by Imtiaz Ali being the place of red light.”

When Love Aaj Kal was nearly cancelled

The timing couldn’t have been worse. Imtiaz was in the middle of shooting Love Aaj Kal when producer Dinesh Vijan broke the news to him. He was busy shooting in Kolkata when Vijan told him that there was a nonbailable arrest warrant under his name, and he would be arrested if the authorities knew of his presence. Imtiaz also revealed that Vijan was concerned about what would become of the project and, of course, his finances if Imtiaz were arrested. “Mera toh bohot loss ho jayega agar tu arrest ho gaya”, Vijan reportedly told Imtiaz.

Even though the entire legal hiccup was a pain for Imtiaz, there were also moments that still make him laugh. He said that while everyone was panicking, Dolly Ahluwalia, the costume designer in Love Aaj Kal, kept everybody’s spirits high. She said, ‘Main apne haathon se roti bana kar laungi, salaakhon ke beech se aapko niwala khilaungi.’ And as you would expect, everybody broke into laughter.

Thankfully, nothing came of the arrest warrant. And though it might’ve been a nightmare at the time, Imtiaz looks back at it now with a smile. Because really, what’s a legendary Bollywood director without a dramatic backstory or two?

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