‘Main Vaapas Aaunga’: Imtiaz Ali and Vedang Raina Talk About Gen Z Relationships and Finding True Love (LatestLY Exclusive)

Director Imtiaz Ali’s new film, Main Vaapas Aaunga, is about forever love that transcends generations. From the trailer, it does seem dreamy and unreal in today's times. In the age of social media romances, situationships and long-distance relationships, some with micro-cheating and eventual ghosting, it is rare to find true love. We are in 2026, and the fast-paced lives of people often de-prioritise relationships, whether it’s the romantic kind or one with family.

When it comes to romance in the era of Generation Z, hook-ups may be frequent and break-ups even more so. In such times, one wonders, does true love exist in 2026? LatestLY posed the same question about finding true love to Imtiaz Ali, the director of eternal love stories in Bollywood, and to Vedang Raina, the young leading star of Main Vaapas Aaunga. Excerpts from the exclusive conversation from the heart of Bollywood.

Imtiaz Ali and Vedang Raina on ‘Main Vaapas Aaunga’ and Finding True Love Main Vaapas Aaunga is a love story that begins in undivided India, pre-Partition. The story involves the lovers' separation post-Partition.

But the love lasts across 78 years in the heart of the boy, Keenu (played by Vedang Raina), who is now an elderly gentleman (played by Naseeruddin Shah). The parallel timeline in the film shows the love story between the characters of Vedang and Sharvari (who plays Jia, the female love interest). The film shows Nirvair Grewal (Diljit Dosanjh) discovering his grandfather’s unfinished promises to his lady love before the 1947 Partition of India and Pakistan. Such love is rare to find these days.

We asked Imtiaz Ali and Vedang Raina whether they believe in such profound love. Here's what they said. Do you think true love exists in today’s times? Imtiaz Ali said, “What is happening in this particular film is that there are modern characters, like the one played by Diljit (Dosanjh).

His name is Nirvair Grewal. He's wondering whether this kind of love is possible in the present times. Aur jaisa ke log kehte hai ki aisa pyaar purane zamaane mein hee possible tha. That is what the film is trying to discover.

Ki hamari generation mein, matlab iss duniya mein hum logon ko nahin mil sakta kya? Jaise Dadaji ka tha. For 78 years, woh ek ladki ke smaran mein hee zinda hai! (Is it possible to find such undying love in our generation? Like the one Grandpa had.

He is alive with the memory of the girl he loved.)" "They fell apart due to the Partition. He is not able to confess his love for the girl for 78 years! I wouldn’t have lasted for 10 days, or 78 days,” said Imtiaz. “In today’s times, even with more media of communication, people are getting lonelier." The Love Aaj Kal director added, "It’s not like the film is preachy.

But it’s an important question, ke kya yeh mohabbat humein iss qaqt mein nahin mil sakti, kya yeh sirf purane zamaane mein possible thi? (Cannot we find a love like this?) This is a dialogue in the film. You will see it. So, answering your question, obviously the film is trying to answer your question (about finding true love in 2026), and it does...in its own way. Nirvair, Diljit's character in the film, in the end, whatever conclusion he reaches, is there in the film.

And you must see it. Let me not spoil it for you.

But it's worth seeing. That particular (scene)…you'll get the answer. It is there in the film.” “In today’s times, even with more communication, people are getting lonelier." - Imtiaz Ali Do you think Gen Z will be able to relate to ‘Main Vaapas Aaunga’? “The Gen Z, the younger or the youngest generation, is more emotional. Aur lost bhi hai.

Usko talab jyaada hai. Pehle kya hota hai ke mohabbat nahin mili hai toh kam se kam raasta toh hai. Inko toh, pehle kadam mein manzil hee mil jaati hai. Toh uske baad insaan jyaada lost ho jaata hai. (They are also lost.

They crave love more. In my generation, if one didn’t get to be with one’s beloved, at least we knew there was another way to live)," said Imtiaz Ali. "This generation, they are lonelier than I was at their age, I feel. Which is why, I feel that the youngest generation, people who may not have been born during my movies such as Rockstar or Laila Majnu, were more emotional while watching these films upon the re-release in theatres.

They are very connected to these films. They are getting something from these films that the earlier generation did not. The younger generation, every time, is relating more to my cinema, which is also a good thing for me. Woh jo lost, lonely walleh mere characters hai unse kuch mil raha hai iss generation ko. (Gen Z is getting something emotional out of my lost, lonely characters.) Maybe my characters are more like the younger generation and not like the old characters, who were hard on themselves.

Because the men in my film are also emotional and crying sometimes, and like that,” said the auteur. As for why true love is mostly unrequited, Imtiaz said that he is “still trying to find an answer to that question”. Vedang Raina on Finding 'True Love' in 2026 Vedang Raina is of the opinion that true love does exist in the 21st century. He said, “True love still exists.

It is very much prevalent. The only thing that has changed is the language and everything around it.

Earlier, there was no texting, no options to talk to someone or break up. Now, ghosting and posting and soft launch and all these things are happening. So, the language is different. In those days (early 1940s, as shown in Main Vaapas Aaunga), there were no such complications of technology.

Moreover, there was no access to people. You only met people around you. Travel wasn’t that easy. So, you weren’t meeting too many people.

Now, you can connect to somebody (easily).” “True love still exists. It is very much prevalent." - Vedang Raina Did you enjoy being a part of the 1940s era love story in ‘Main Vaapas Aaunga’? “I enjoyed being in that no-WhatsApp zone, no-Instagram zone in the film that depicts a bygone era. There was something charming about it. Kisiki jhalak bhi dekhne ke liye aap kya kya kar sakte the (One would go to any lengths just to catch a glimpse of the one they fancied).

Nowadays, you just open an Instagram story, and catch a glimpse," said Vedang, all of 26 but speaking like a mature gentleman. With social media, is the feeling of longing vanishing slowly because we are so connected? "We have technology, we are easily accessible. That is what I feel the previous generation will love about the film.

Earlier, it used to be like, 'When is the next time I'll be seeing him or her?' But it's not the same anymore. Maybe it's true that the feeling of longing is less. We used to anticipate and wait so much.

But now, access of information is very easy. You can just ask somebody over a text, ‘Where are you? Where have you been?’ Maybe because of the difference in the language (of love) now, those aspects have changed.

But that feeling (of longing) is still the same. If you are in a long-distance relationship, you are still longing for the person in the same way. If it's true love, you long for them.

But also, it’s true that the charm of those days was different. That's for sure," said Vedang, seasoned in his experience, even being a young actor. 'Main Vaapas Aaunga' Trailer - Watch Video: Main Vaapas Aaunga releases on June 12, 2026, in theatres. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 06, 2026 02:53 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).