There’s a quiet Punjabi soul in the stories Imtiaz Ali creates. Not always in the obvious sense of pind, parathas, or loud family gatherings, but in the emotional fabric of his storytelling. His characters love deeply, break loudly, run fearlessly, and carry their hearts on their sleeves. Across films and generations, Imtiaz has repeatedly returned to Punjabi-rooted characters and emotions, making them an essential part of his cinematic identity.
1. Geet Dhillon – Jab We Met
Played by Kareena Kapoor Khan, Geet Dhillon wasn’t just a character; she became a cultural phenomenon. Bubbly, impulsive, emotional, and unapologetically expressive, Geet captured the spirit often associated with Punjabi energy and warmth. Whether it was the way she spoke, loved, or fought for her happiness, Geet felt deeply rooted in her identity. Even today, she remains one of Bollywood’s most iconic Punjabi-coded female characters.
2. Jordan (Janardhan Jakhar) – Rockstar
Before he became Jordan, he was Janardhan Jakhar, a boy from a traditional Punjabi family. Played by Ranbir Kapoor, the character’s emotional intensity carried the rawness Imtiaz often associates with Punjabiyat.
3. Veera Tripathi – Highway
In Highway, Alia Bhatt’s Veera slowly sheds the layers imposed on her privileged life and finds freedom in unfamiliar spaces. While the film travels across North India, there’s a grounded emotional openness to Veera’s journey that feels distinctly Punjabi in spirit.
4. Tara Maheshwari- Tamasha
Modern, ambitious, and emotionally conflicted, Zoe represented a new-age woman navigating love and independence. Played by Deepika Padukone, the character balanced urban coolness with emotional sincerity. Even within a contemporary romance, Imtiaz infused moments of emotional chaos and vulnerability that echoed the warmth often found in Punjabi family dynamics and relationships.
5. Zoe – Love Aaj Kal
Played by Sara Ali Khan, the character balanced urban coolness with emotional sincerity. Even within a contemporary romance, Imtiaz infused moments of emotional chaos and vulnerability that echoed the warmth often found in Punjabi family dynamics and relationships.
6. All Characters – Main Vaapas Aaunga
Set against the backdrop of the Partition era, Main Vaapas Aaunga tells a timeless story of love, identity, separation, and emotions that refuse to fade away. With Diljit Dosanjh, Vedang Raina, and Sharvari Wagh leading the film, alongside a world filled with soulful music and deeply human emotions, the film continues Imtiaz Ali’s long-standing Punjabi connection in cinema. His films have never used Punjabi culture as just an aesthetic backdrop; instead, they treat it as an emotional language. Experience this Punjabi spectacle in theatres on 12th June, 2026.
Over the years, Imtiaz Ali has built a cinematic world where Punjabi identity is more than just language or geography; it becomes an emotional pulse running through his characters. From Geet’s uninhibited spirit to Jordan’s aching passion, his films have consistently carried a sense of warmth, vulnerability, and longing deeply tied to Punjabiyat. With Main Waapas Aaunga, that connection appears to continue once again. Backed by music, emotion, and characters searching for belonging, the film seems to naturally fit into the emotional universe Imtiaz has shaped across decades of storytelling.
