The best directors have always been good story-tellers. Right from ‘Socha Na Tha’ to ‘Jab We Met’, ‘Love Aaj Kal’ and ‘Rockstar’ – Director Imtiaz Ali has effectively told us stories most could relate to; all of them about love but without the usual mush and sugar-coated romance the genre is known for. Also co-produced by him, he tells a love story in ‘Highway’ as well but the lead characters here are people you may not really identify with.
Daughter of a politically connected big shot in Delhi, Veera (Alia Bhatt) is all set to get married. Things go awry when she gets her fiancé to drive her to a highway so that she can breathe some fresh air. She is kidnapped by a bunch of rustic gujjar criminals, headed by Mahabir (Randeep Hooda). These are two protagonists who aren’t just as different from each other as chalk is from cheese – they are people who have nothing in common barring disturbed childhoods.
Mahabir is the kind of guy who wears a lungi, speaks the hariyanvi dialect and doesn’t hesitate to slap or shout at the abducted woman. Veera is no less than a princess brought up in an affluent and aristocratic family. Clearly, they are from two different strata of society and there could be zilch chances of them falling for each other but they do. Very soon, Veera is amazed to realize that she has found freedom in captivity; freedom from a cramped fake life she has been leading all these years. She begins enjoying every moment of the journey – from Delhi to Rajasthan to the mountains in Himachal Pradesh and then, Kashmir. Love blossoms between the very unlikely couple too but this is more of platonic attraction or perhaps, a chance for the two disturbed souls to meet peace and happiness in life. ‘Highway’ ends on a sad note but a powerful and bold climax indeed, which should go down even better with women.
Director Imtiaz Ali experiments with an off-beat plot and when he could have roped a star, he opts for a cast which is appropriate. While he succeeds as both the director and story-teller, he has a script which comes across as unconvincing in some parts. Veera’s sudden realization that she has found freedom in captivity is indeed sudden and takes us some time to understand her point and behaviour. She gets too relaxed and very soon. A few scenes after that, she confesses to Mahabir that she has begun finding him cute. If you can ignore these minor glitches, chances are that you may relate to the proceedings. Ali is wonderfully supported by Cinematographer Anil Mehta whose visuals are extraordinary, especially post-interval when the story (and camera) shifts to the mountains. Veera resting on a rock while water on the stream gushes by and then she laughs, she cries and these are tears of joy – one of the scenes which remain with you after the lights come on. Ditto for the way you witness nature come alive on the screen; you hear the wind, you see the sunrise/sunset or the clouds moving as if you are there yourself. Saw such finesse last in ‘Lootera’. The director seems to be in awe of roads and mountains in his movies and this is no different; captured really well in a full-fledged road movie. Kudos to him for extracting great performances from his cast! A few powerful scenes bear the mark of his excellence. But ‘Highway’ may get frustratingly slow and boring for many, mainly the masses. It is off-beat and experimental. Music by A.R. Rahman is in sync with the mood of the movie but not popular and hummable.
‘Highway’ introduces us to a bundle of talent – Alia Bhatt. She debuted well in ‘Student of the Year’ but it didn’t have scope for a performance. If you doubted her acting abilities, you will be proved wrong and how! As the rich and innocent-looking Veera who comes of age through her kidnap, Alia delivers an award-worthy performance and one wherein she is devoid of any glamour and yet manages to look fresh. Watch that scene where she tells her hero about the way an old uncle molested her during childhood or that outburst in the climax and you will know what a fine actress she is. These are just two scenes mentioned and the whole movie belongs to her. She is supported really well by the very unconventional but terrific Randeep Hooda who plays his role with so much sincerity that you might forget he is an actor; you see a criminal here trying hard to come to terms with blunders made in his life. The supporting cast is competent.
Watch it or not: Yes; if you like a well-directed good story with excellent performances and even if you like to travel or you are besotted with the mountains. No; if slow and off-beat movies make you impatient. It also doesn’t match up to the director’s previous work (except for ‘Socha Na Tha’) and so, the audience might get a little disappointed.
At the Box-Office: Will start slow due to lack of promotion and big star cast. Business will pick up only if word-of-mouth is good; should end up as an average fare at best.
My Verdict: This one is a rough ride to the highway but once you are there, the view is good!
My Verdict
My Rating
I’m going with 2 plus an extra half for Alia Bhatt’s bravura performance plus another half for the sheer brilliance of Director Imtiaz Ali to tell stories he believes in.
