Ali, who was in the capital to promote his movie "Tamasha" with actors Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone, said politics indeed can tend to hamper art and films.
"Politics can tend to hamper art and films. We need to detach both elements, but yet politics and art need to be responsible for each other," Ali told IANS at a press conference at PVR Sangam here.
After the interesting trailer which was screened at the cinema hall, he was asked what "Tamasha" connotes to Ali as a word.
"For me 'Tamasha' is not negative, infact it is a positive word. It is a story which you present to the world. When a human being speaks out the truth inside of him, in an entertaining way that is the 'Tamasha' i like," Ali said.
Most of his directorials have trains in them and the trio also took a train to Delhi from Mumbai.
Asked whether a train journey is close to a simile of life journey to him, Imtiaz said "This was never in mind, but when I am watching the movie and answering such questions, i feel that maybe there is some truth in it. Maybe I am trying subconsciously to use travel as a simile to the journey of life," the 44-year-old said.
"Most of my movies have that tussle between the mind and the heart too," he added.
"Tamasha" is set to release on Friday.