Highway is surely going to bring a lot of appreciation and respect to the whole team. Highway (2014)
It goes without saying that when an Imtiaz Ali film releases, it's a must-watch, first-day-first- show material for me. Imtiaz described the film as the coming of age of Veera, but really, in the end, you wonder whether it really was Veera
The film is gusty. While this is certainly not Imtiaz Ali's finest film, it's his most daring effort thus far. The appreciation will come with acceptance. It goes without saying that Highway is a good, sometimes even great effort, and that I loved it - but the film might not work for many, and that's partly due to weak screenplay in the first half. You see, the innovative plot is extremely intriguing as it is. The tale of a rich girl being kidnapped and eventually finding herself and falling for her kidnapper generated a lot of excitement. There was no real suspense in Highway, except that everyone was waiting to see how Imtiaz would unravel this storyline, and scoop the love story out. And this is where Highway lets you down. While the film spends a great deal of time on the characters' psyche and draws you into their lives, it fails at the key point where the audience needs to be sold. The screenplay towards the middle portion of the first half, where it was crucial for Imtiaz to make us understand Veera's state of mind, goes haywire, and for that brief moment, Imtiaz takes the easy way out to just present us with what he wants to show us. There's no development there. There's no time spent on why, how or when it happens. It just does, and it's up to you to accept the subsequent fold of events or not. Sadly, this is what is going to polarise the audience on Highway. The rest of the film is sheer brilliance but not if you can't overlook the temporary screenplay of convenience.
What follows is Veera explaining how she doesn't want to go back or reach her set destination, but simply wants this journey never to end. This is exactly how I felt at this point, and that really sums up my thoughts on Highway. The ride is bumpy, especially the short-cut taken at the start, but nevertheless it's beautiful. I didn't want it to end. The mesmerising tunes, the breathtaking locales, performances and characters that draw you in, Alia's infectious energy and Imtiaz's extreme confidence more that made up for what was lacking. Man, I loved Highway.
Alia Bhatt is a complete revelation. It wouldn't be erroneous to say that this is her debut as an actor, and she leaves no stone unturned to show her talent. She is Veera right from the start, and brings the character to life in way that no one else could. There's a rawness in her performance which makes it even more natural. Her character grows in synchrony with her acting, which gets better until the middle portion of the second half to the end, where she does what possibly would top any female performance of last year. She's crazy good. You have got to see her to believe in her potential. Her screen presence and command over her expressions is to watch out for. Awards on the way? Hell yes. Imtiaz has gifted her a coveted role. Randeep Hooda is adequate. He's the brooding type, with a dark history, and Randeep does well in evoking curiosity about his character, but his acting could do with some polishing. He's a bit rough at times, especially during the emotional scenes. This role had the potential to have a better impact, through a more refined actor, so it was slightly underwhelming, albeit decent.
Anil Mehta's cinematography is of highest standards. The film spends its sweet time to ponder over the mountains, valleys, rivers and nature, and you don't regret one second of it. India has never looked so delicately divine. A.R.Rahman's music complements the mood of Highway. His tunes are situational, and Imtiaz has used them to the best of his ability. Mahi Ve, my favourite, was sadly cut short, but it was an all-time high for the film to end with Mahi Ve, slowly merging with A.R.Rahman's rendition of Patakha Guddi. :D The female version brings the screen to life with the effervescent picturisation and brilliant lyrics. Sooha Saaha, Heera and Kahaan Hoon Mein, add a lot of depth to the proceedings. However, the biggest surprise was the weakest song - Wanna Mashup - which is bound to steal the show. And then, of course, you have Jonita's constant humming throughout the film, which only adds to the magic of Highway.
The second half of the film is full of highs, and the climax to the end of the film is bloody good. The editing is well done - and thankfully Imtiaz refrains from going the choppy-Rockstar-way, although the pace is lethargic. The inconsistent screenplay lets the film down, but the execution makes up for it. I'm not going to ruin the ending by mentioning my favourite scenes, but the climax that Imtiaz penned down was perfect. I can't envision a different conclusion to this tale. The emptiness the film left me with, was somehow overwhelming, and made me smile. It's going to sound terribly cheesy, but the film makes you feel free. Maybe, after going through Veera's journey, you feel her happiness.
Imtiaz Ali hasn't let me down. Highway might not be the flawless film many of us were looking forward to, but it still has a lot to offer. The film's message and deeper meanings are bound to click with its target audience. Kudos to Imtiaz for thinking out of the box and to Alia for taking on such a risky film. Irrespective of whether this works or not at the Box Office, Highway is surely going to bring a lot of appreciation and respect to the whole team.