Filmmaker Imtiaz Ali recently gave fans a heartfelt glimpse into the making of the song “Maskara” from Main Vaapas Aaunga through his Instagram series titled MVA Diaries. Sharing a series of nostalgic behind-the-scenes images accompanied by his own audio recording, Imtiaz opened up about the emotion, spontaneity, and creative energy that shaped the track.
The director reflected on how “Maskara” was designed to capture the innocence, playfulness, and quiet vulnerability of first love. Featuring Vedang Raina and Sharvari Wagh, the song beautifully explores two contrasting expressions of love one mischievous and carefree, the other soft and deeply felt. With music composed by A. R. Rahman and lyrics penned by Irshad Kamil, “Maskara” has emerged as one of the most loved tracks from the film’s album.
In the audio shared by Imtiaz Ali, the filmmaker speaks about the emotional thought behind the song and the organic process through which it evolved during filming.
Imtiaz revealed that they had reached Punjab for the shoot without even hiring a choreographer because the song was originally imagined in a simpler way. But things changed gradually as conversations around the characters and emotions deepened.
One particular conversation with Sharvari stayed with him. The director shared that Sharvari once told him how, during her younger days, she was not allowed to attend prom events or similar outings. Instead, she would lock herself inside her room, hold a dupatta, and imagine herself dancing with someone.
That small but deeply personal memory eventually became one of the emotional foundations of Maskara.
Imtiaz explained that the idea stayed in his mind and slowly shaped the visual language of the song. He also shared that choreographer Nancy Dogra later joined the project to help bring those ideas to life onscreen.
According to him, while he could imagine the emotional movement and mood of the dance, Nancy helped execute it practically during filming.The director also opened up about Sharvari’s character Gia and her emotional connection with Vedang Raina’s character, Kinu. He explained that Gia dances while imagining Kinu beside her, and in the process, she even tries to embody parts of his personality. That is why viewers see moments where she wears a turban and mirrors his energy throughout the sequence.
This emotional detailing appears to be one of the reasons why the song feels intimate rather than heavily staged. Instead of focusing only on glamour, Maskara leans into imagination, longing, and the playful innocence of young love.
The song has already been receiving immense appreciation online for its dreamy visuals, youthful energy, and the chemistry between Vedang and Sharvari.