Filmmaker Imtiaz Ali talked about the safety of women on film sets during his appearance at the ongoing International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa. He recalled firing a crew member from the sets of his film Highway due to inappropriate behavior towards lead role Alia Bhatt.

Imtiaz shared, “We were shooting with Randeep and Alia on a rural highway, and there was no proper vanity van in 2013. Alia had to change clothes and go to different, unusual places to enjoy nature. Once, I had to send this guy back from the set while he was trying to be around her.”

The filmmaker experienced similar instances on film sets thrice in his career, but not now. “Times have changed to a great extent. Actresses are now really safe on the sets,” Imtiaz assures. For them.”

During the conversation, Imtiaz also talked about how Kareena Kapoor felt safe on the sets of Jab We Met and also narrated an incident from the sets of the film.

“There was a shot in Jab We Met when the cameraman said at the last moment I needed lighting in the shot. Kareena was ready for the shot and was on the top berth in the railway compartment. She was supposed to be mumbling in her sleep during the scene, and We needed additional lights on the berth, I asked him to come down until the crew members finished installing the lights,” Imtiaz recalled.

But Kareena was not ready to step down and told him, “Who will descend now and ascend again? (Who will come down and then climb up?).”

Although Imtiaz said that Kareena did not understand why he was asking her to come down, he insisted, “It was because she felt very safe with those three people standing over her to light up.” Were hovering. No one looked at them in a bad light.”

Jab We Met, also starring Shahid Kapoor, released in 2007 and is a landmark film in the careers of both Kareena and Imtiaz.