Main Vaapas Aaunga

Main Vaapas Aaunga
Theatrical release poster
Directed byImtiaz Ali
Written byImtiaz Ali
Nayanika Mahtani
Produced by
  • Sameer Nair
  • Deepak Segal
  • Mohit Choudhary
  • Shibhasish Sarkar
Starring
CinematographySylvester Fonseca
Edited byAarti Bajaj
Music byA. R. Rahman
Production
companies
Applause Entertainment
Birla Studios
Window Seat Films
Distributed byBirla Studios
Release date
  • 12 June 2026 (2026-06-12)
Running time
167 minutes[1]
CountryIndia
LanguageHindi
Budget₹70 crore[2]
Box office₹98.2 crore[3]

Main Vaapas Aaunga (transl. I Will Return) is a 2026 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama film directed by Imtiaz Ali. The film stars Naseeruddin Shah, Diljit Dosanjh, Sharvari and Vedang Raina in lead roles, with Vinod Nagpal, Dolly Ahluwalia, Rajat Kapoor, Sanjay Suri, Manish Chaudhari, Anjana Sukhani, Banita Sandhu and Danish Pandor in supporting roles.[4] The film centres on a grandson who cares for his dying, dementia-stricken grandfather as the elderly man revisits memories of a tragic romance during the Partition of British India. Principal photography began in August 2025 and ended in December 2025.[5]

The film was theatrically released on 12 June 2026.[6] It received mostly positive reviews from critics,[7] with unanimous praise for Shah's performance.[8][9] It emerged as a sleeper hit.[10] It is the 10th highest-grossing Hindi film of 2026.

Plot

95-year-old Ishar Singh Grewal/Keenu suffers a stroke and is on his deathbed. Despite failing health and advancing dementia, he refuses to let go of life, desperately muttering about returning to his ancestral home in Sargodha, Punjab, Pakistan. His grandson, Nirvair, returns from London and acting as his caregiver attempts to make sense of his disjointed ramblings.

The story goes back 78 years to British India. A younger Ishar is a rowdy young college student who loves jazz and cricket, but is painfully awkward around young women. He falls in love with a young Muslim woman named Afsana/Jiya. Their budding romance is abruptly shattered by the violence and mass migration of the Partition of British India. When Sikhs are forced to leave for East Punjab in India, Keenu and the men of his family flee, leaving both their female relatives and Jiya behind in the chaos. Having vowed to Jiya that he will never leave without her permission, Keenu returns six years after Partition to find his female relatives and reunite with Jiya, but he learns the bitter truth of what happened after the men fled. Broken by his experiences during Partition and haunted by the disturbing fate of his female relatives, Keenu becomes a cold, angry man who terrorizes his family and has no close friends.

Nirvair investigates his grandfather’s past to give him peace, teasing the truth out of his grandfather’s ramblings with help from historians, archives and his reluctant great-uncle, Pali. In Keenu’s final days, Nirvair takes advantage of his British passport and crosses into Pakistan, locating Jiya's family. He discovers a devastating truth: Jiya died 10 years prior, having spent her life waiting for Keenu to fulfill his promise to return. Through a video call, Keenu sees Jiya’s portrait, and hallucinates a vision of a young Jiya. Elated that he can finally recite a poem he wrote for her long ago, Keenu finally asks Jiya for permission to leave. She grants it, allowing him to pass away peacefully.

The film ends with footage of real refugees across the world, enduring the same trauma and suffering as Keenu and the countless refugees caught in the crossfire of Partition.

Cast

Production

Development

The film was announced in June 2025, with Diljit Dosanjh, Naseeruddin Shah, Vedang Raina, Sharvari, and Banita Sandhu joining the cast.[12][13] It is the second collaboration between director Imtiaz Ali and Diljit Dosanjh.[6]

Filming

Principal photography for the film commenced in Punjab in October 2025.[14][15]

Soundtrack

The film's music is composed by A. R. Rahman, with lyrics written by Irshad Kamil.[16] The first single titled "Kya Kamaal Hai", was released on 17 April 2026. The second single "Maskara" was released on 5 May 2026.[17]

Marketing

On 13 March 2026, four first-look posters were unveiled.[18]

On 7 June 2026, A.R Rahman, Nilanjana Ghosh, Vedang Raina, Mohit Chauhan, and Pooja Tiwari performed live at Attari–Wagah border ceremony in Attari, Amritsar. Imtiaz Ali who was also present there along with cast and crew of the film, said, "I am privileged to be a part of this troupe, and it is magical that this event is around Main Vaapas Aaunga, a film that originates from the making of the border during the Partition of 1947. Not only homes and lives were lost, but hearts were broken as well. We bring a message of love because, ultimately, only love sustains us."[19]

Release

Theatrical

Main Vaapas Aaunga was released on 12 June 2026.[6] It was earlier planned to release in April 2026, coinciding with Baisakhi.[20][21]

Home media

The film began streaming on Netflix from 7 August 2026.[22][7]

Reception

Box office

On its opening day, the film earned ₹1.28 crore at the domestic box office.[3]

Main Vaapas Aaunga grossed ₹98.2 crore (US$10 million) worldwide. It grossed ₹77.75 crore (US$8.1 million) in India and ₹20.45 crore (US$2.1 million) in overseas market.[3]

On 31 July 2026, the film completed 50 days at the box office.[23][24]

Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 85% of 13 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.70/10.[25]

Sukanya Verma of rediff.com gave the film 4 out of 5 stars, calling it a 'rare gem' and writing, "At a time when the politics of hostility has engulfed the world and escalated it into senseless wars -- most evocatively captured in the end credits song Kya Kamaal Hai filled with devastating images of uprooted victims from conflict torn lands -- Main Vaapas Aaunga's unwavering belief in love is a testament to cinema's uplifting gifts."[26]

Ria Sharma of The Free Press Journal also gave the film 4 stars out of 5, concluding, "Yes, the film could have been slightly shorter, especially in the first half. But that's just a small complaint in an otherwise beautiful cinematic experience. Main Vaapas Aaunga is packed with love, loss, longing and hope. It is emotional and heartbreaking. This is the kind of film that stays with you long after the credits roll."[27]

Kartik Bhardwaj of Cinema Express also gave the film 4 stars out of 5, noting, "Main Vaapas Aaunga is about Punjab, about the buried trauma of the refugees and how pain gives birth to patriarchy."[28]

Gayatri Nirmal of Pinkvilla also gave the film 4 stars out of 5, concluding, "After a long dry spell, Hindi cinema finally delivers a profound love story that will leave your heart racing and your eyes moist long after you step out of the theater. True to the Imtiaz Ali universe, the iconic tradition of a lead character eating in isolation makes a poetic return."[29]

Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express gave the film 3 out of 5 stars and described the film as "an astounding take on Partition trauma". She particularly praised Naseeruddin Shah's performance, calling it "superbly-judged".[30] Aishani of Outlook India reviewed the film and gave 3.5 out of 5 stars and wrote that Diljit Dosanjh and Naseeruddin Shah anchor a moving story of memory, migration and longing.[31] Anuj Kumar of The Hindu described the movie as "an evocative exploration of memory, loss and longing, praising Imtiaz Ali's storytelling and the performances of Naseeruddin Shah and Diljit Dosanjh".[32]

Reviewing for Hindustan Times, Rishabh Suri praised the film as emotional resonance and described it as "a film that transforms memory and longing into compelling cinema".[33] Dhaval Roy of Times of India gave 3.5 out of 5 stars and praised its performances and emotional storytelling, while noting that the film successfully captures "the pain and human consequences of partition".[34] Reviewing for NDTV, Saeed Naqvi gave the film 3.5 out of 5 stars and wrote that Naseeruddin Shah delivers a "masterclass" performance in a heartbreaking narrative.[35]

Rahul Desai of The Hollywood Reporter India calls it "a partition-era story worth falling for."[36] Nandini Ramnath of Scroll.in writes in her review that "The film boldly confronts the severe psychological repression that followed Partition. However, Main Vaapas Aaunga sticks to the conventional portrayal as Muslims as the aggressors in communal riots."[37] Vineeta Kumar of India Today, rated it 2 out of 5 stars and described the film as Ali's weakest film, writing, "the film reaches for grief and belonging, but its pacing and politics blunt the impact."[38]

References

  1. ↑ "Main Vaapas Aaunga (15)". British Board of Film Classification. 5 June 2026. Retrieved 8 June 2026.
  2. ↑ Puneet Upadhyay (12 June 2026). "Main Vaapas Aaunga: 70 करोड़ में बनी मैं वापस आऊंगा पहले दिन कितना कमाएगी, क्या टूटेगा शरवरी वाघ की इन 2 फिल्मों का रिकॉर्ड?". TV9 Hindi. Retrieved 12 June 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 "Main Vaapas Aaunga Box Office Collection". Bollywood Hungama. 12 June 2026. Retrieved 13 June 2026.
  4. ↑ Arya, Prachi (13 March 2026). "Main Vaapas Aaunga teaser: Diljit film is about love in the time of Partition". India Today. Retrieved 13 March 2026.
  5. ↑ "Imtiaz Ali's next film gets a release date". Cinema Express. 29 January 2026. Retrieved 13 March 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 "Imtiaz Ali's Next Starring Diljit Dosanjh, Vedang Raina and Sharvari Gets Release Date". The Hollywood Reporter India. 3 February 2026. Retrieved 13 March 2026.
  7. 1 2 Singh, Sunanda (26 July 2026). "Main Vaapas Aaunga OTT Release Date Locked: When And Where To Watch Diljit Dosanjh, Naseeruddin Shah And Sharvari's Film?". freepressjournal.in. India: The Free Press Journal. Retrieved 6 August 2026.
  8. ↑ Desai, Rahul (2 June 2026). "The Eternal Mortality of Naseeruddin Shah". The Hollywood Reporter India. Retrieved 16 August 2026.
  9. ↑ Mullappilly, Sreejith (9 August 2026). "Naseeruddin Shah: Decoding the master orchestrator's masterclass in Main Vaapas Aaunga". Cinema Express. Retrieved 16 August 2026.
  10. ↑ Suri, Rishabh (23 June 2026). "Main Vaapas Aaunga's complete U-turn: Exploring how this Imtiaz Ali film exploded to become a sleeper hit". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  11. ↑ Anand, Akriti (14 September 2025). "Banita Sandhu To Star Opposite Diljit Dosanjh In Imtiaz Ali's Partition Drama: Report". News18 India. Retrieved 13 March 2026.
  12. ↑ "Imtiaz Ali announces new film with Diljit Dosanjh, Naseeruddin Shah, Vedang Raina, Sharvari". ANI. 14 June 2025. Retrieved 13 March 2026.
  13. ↑ "Main Vaapas Aaunga Teaser: Diljit Dosanjh, Sharvari And Vedang Raina's Dreamy Tale Of Love And Longing". NDTV. 13 March 2026. Retrieved 13 March 2026.
  14. ↑ "Imtiaz Ali begins shooting for the second schedule of his next with Diljit Dosanjh, Vedang Raina and Sharvari". Cinema Express. 10 October 2025. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
  15. ↑ "Imtiaz Ali and Diljit Dosanjh join for a new love story; shoot begins in Punjab". The Times of India. 10 October 2025. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
  16. ↑ "Diljit Dosanjh's new partition-era love story from director Imtiaz Ali gets a title: Watch teaser". The Week. 13 March 2026. Retrieved 13 March 2026.
  17. ↑ "'Maskara' from Main Vaapas Aaunga is a peppy, playful yet heartfelt love song". Cinema Express. 5 May 2026. Retrieved 5 May 2026.
  18. ↑ "Main Vaapas Aaunga: Imtiaz Ali reveals poster of Diljit Dosanjh-Starrer ahead of teaser launch". Bollywood Hungama. 13 March 2026. Retrieved 13 March 2026.
  19. ↑ Yadav, Monica (8 June 2026). "Main Vaapas Aaunga makes history at Attari Border as A.R. Rahman performs; Imtiaz Ali hails 'solidarity and love'. Watch". hindustantimes.com. India: Hindustan Times. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
  20. ↑ Krishnan, Achu (14 June 2026). "Imtiaz Ali's next love story to release on Baisakhi 2026". WION. Retrieved 13 March 2026.
  21. ↑ Hindu, The (29 January 2026). "Imtiaz Ali's next feature with Diljit Dosanjh gets new release date". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
  22. ↑ "Main Vaapas Aaunga on OTT: When and where can you stream the Imtiaz Ali directed partition drama". cinemaexpress.com. India: Cinema Express. 1 August 2026. Retrieved 4 August 2026.
  23. ↑ "Main Vaapas Aaunga: Imtiaz Ali reacts to Diljit Dosanjh, Vedang Raina, Sharvari starrer completing 50 days in cinema". bollywoodhungama.com. India: Bollywood Hungama. 31 July 2026. Retrieved 4 August 2026.
  24. ↑ Kohli-Khandekar, Vanita (1 August 2026). "3 Big Lessons From Main Vaapas Aaunga". rediff.com. India: Rediff.com. Retrieved 4 August 2026.
  25. ↑ "Main Vaapas Aaunga (2026)". Rotten Tomatoes.
  26. ↑ Verma, Sukanya (15 June 2026). "Main Vaapas Aaunga: A Rare Gem". rediff.com. India: Rediff. Retrieved 6 July 2026.
  27. ↑ Sharma, Ria (11 June 2026). "Main Vaapas Aaunga Review: Imtiaz Ali Reminds Bollywood How To Tell A Timeless Love Story In An Era Of Action Films". freepressjournal.in. India: Free Press Journal. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
  28. ↑ Bhardwaj, Kartik (11 June 2026). "Main Vaapas Aaunga Movie Review: Imtiaz Ali paints a poignant picture of pain, pining and Partition". cinemaexpress.com. India: Cinema Express. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
  29. ↑ Nirmal, Gayatri (11 June 2026). "Main Vaapas Aaunga Review: Naseeruddin Shah, Diljit, Vedang, Sharvari's pre-partition love story lingers in your heart long after the credits roll". pinkvilla.com. India: Pinkvilla. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
  30. ↑ "Main Vaapas Aaunga movie review: Diljit Dosanjh film an astounding take on Partition trauma". The Indian Express. 11 June 2026. Retrieved 11 June 2026.
  31. ↑ "Main Vaapas Aaunga Review: Naseeruddin Shah, Diljit Dosanjh Shine in Imtiaz Ali's Partition Story". Outlook India. 11 June 2026. Retrieved 11 June 2026.
  32. ↑ Kumar, Anuj (11 June 2026). "'Main Vaapas Aaunga' movie review: Imtiaz Ali's love story for the ages". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 11 June 2026.
  33. ↑ Suri, Rishabh (11 June 2026). "Main Vaapas Aaunga review: Imtiaz Ali, Naseeruddin Shah turn memory and longing into cinema that can't be missed". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 11 June 2026.
  34. ↑ "Main Vaapas Aaunga Movie Review: This poetic and deeply emotional tale of unfinished love leaves a lingering ache". timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Retrieved 11 June 2026.
  35. ↑ "Main Vaapas Aaunga Review: Titan Naseeruddin Shah Delivers A Masterclass In Imtiaz Ali's Heartbreaking Film". NDTV Movies. 11 June 2026. The best part of the film is not what will happen -- the title and trailer make that clear -- but the how. Bringing a love story to a time when audiences have become accustomed to celebrating hatred and othering is itself an act of rebellion, even a political gesture. Imtiaz Ali, along with Naseeruddin Shah and Diljit Dosanjh, breaks your heart to mend it again.
  36. ↑ Desai, Rahul (12 June 2026). "'Main Vaapas Aaunga' Movie Review: Imtiaz Ali Returns With A Euphoric Ode to Humanity". The Hollywood Reporter India. Retrieved 6 July 2026. The storyteller recalls his young and insulated self: the way he doesn't take the threat of a Partition seriously, the way he chooses denial and apolitical logic ("you think Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims can be separated?") over reality, the way he uses the musicality of ignorance to protect his romance from the unrest around them. It's like he partitions his love from the truth of time.
  37. ↑ Ramnath, Nandini (11 June 2026). "Review: In 'Main Vaapas Aaunga', to love is to remember and to remember is to love". Scroll.in. Retrieved 11 June 2026.
  38. ↑ Kumar, Vineeta (11 June 2026). "Main Vaapas Aaunga review: Diljit Dosanjh leads Imtiaz Ali's weakest film". India Today. Retrieved 13 June 2026.
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