Highway is a 2014 Indian drama film written and directed by Imtiaz Ali and produced by Sajid Nadiadwala. The film stars Randeep Hooda and Alia Bhatt in the lead roles. Screened in the Panorama section of the 2014 Berlin International Film Festival,[5] the film released worldwide on 21 February 2014[6] The film outlines the story of a young woman who is kidnapped before her wedding and held for ransom wherein she develops Stockholm syndrome towards her kidnapper.[7][8][9] The film is based on the episode of the same name from the Zee TV anthology series Rishtey, starring Aditya Srivastava and Kartika Rane,which was also written and directed by Imtiaz Ali.[10]
Contents
Plot
Cast
Production
Development
Casting
Crew
Filming
Music
Promotion
Release
Critical reception
India
Overseas
Box office
References
External links
PlotEdit
The story begins on the eve of the wedding of Veera Tripathi (Alia Bhatt), the daughter of a rich business tycoon. She is at a Gas Station by the highway with her fiancé when she is abducted. The gang who kidnaps her panics when they find out that her father has links in the government. However, Mahabir Bhati (Randeep Hooda), one of her abductors, is willing to do whatever it takes to see this through. They continuously move to different cities, to avoid being tracked by police. As the days go by, Veera finds peace in her bondage to the point that she confides in him of her troubled childhood. Her fear of abduction is taken over by a sense of freedom.
At one point while crossing a check post, the police forcefully search the truck, but Veera, surprisingly even to herself, hides. Veera confesses to Mahabir about her home where her uncle molested her, a fact which was hushed up by her mother. She concludes that she loves the journey and doesn't want to go back to her life. Mahabir can't help but care for Veera and his anger fades slowly, and he decides to let her go. Veera refuses and insists on staying with Mahabir. They both take shelter in a hilltop house. The following morning, a shootout starts as police has tracked them down. Mahabir is shot dead on the spot, while a shocked Veera is returned to her parents. Disturbed by the incident, Veera tells her family the truth about her abusive uncle and her desire of not living with them anymore. It ends with Veera shown working and living on a hill station on her own, with memories of the days she spent with Mahabir.
CastEdit
Alia Bhatt as Veera Tripathi
Randeep Hooda as Mahabir Bhati
Arjun Malhotra as Vinay
Saharsh Kumar Shukla as Goru
Pradeep Nagar as Tonk
Durgesh Kumar as Aadoo
Hemant Mahaur as Kasana
Reuben Israel as M. K. Tripathi
Naina Trivedi as Amma
Mohd. Kaif as young Mahabir
Samar Mudasir Bakshi as young Veera
ProductionEdit
Development
In an interview with The Telegraph, director Imtiaz Ali stated, "Highway has been a story that has stayed with me for 15 years. There was something in it that didn't die. Usually you lose interest in a story beyond a certain point. But with Highway, there was something very subtle, yet something very influential". On the story he added, "Some years ago, I made a half-hour episode for a TV series (1999 for Zee TV's Rishtey starring Aditya Srivastava and Kartika Rane) and that's where I first got a hint for this story. And over time, it changed form and genres until I just gave up. And then it all settled down to this journey of two characters. As for the central female lead, I thought I would cast someone with some experience of life, someone who had probably been through some relationships.[11] While penning the script he stated he had to change many scenes of the film because he felt they were becoming too similar to his previous film, Jab We Met. He said that the film was his first digital film.[12] In the April 2013 interview with the same, he said the film is primarily the story of two characters from very different backgrounds— played by Randeep Hooda and Alia Bhatt—who take the road trip across six states in a truck.[13] Further, Ali told that he had thought of making Highway in various ways. At an instant he thought of making it a very big action film later he thought of scripting it in a very romantic way; some 12 years back, he drew romantic instances from Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak. He added, "The film is about the discovery of yourself while traveling. It’s a coming-of-age movie." Prior to shooting he didn't complete scripting for the film and the script got ready after the shooting of the scenes because the dialogues were decided on the spot.[14] Over the improvisations in script, he stated, "For instance, when we were on the top of snow mountains in Himachal Pradesh, I wanted to be open to what nature suggested and the impulses the actors gave me, rather than stick to what I had written, sitting in a room in Mumbai. The film was made on the way, on the go. I had to have very suitable, good actors and a low maintenance crew."[15] For Highway, Randeep Hooda prepared for his role with such sincerity that in order to keep the initial distance with Alia Bhatt’s character, he didn’t speak to her for about 25 days.[16]
Casting
In December 2012, reports emerged that Ali has cast Randeep Hooda and Alia Bhatt for his upcoming film Highway.[17] However, in February 2013 the casting was officially confirmed.[18] Ali said that earlier he was looking out for an older actress to match up with Hooda. However, the role went to Alia Bhatt that made effect on his film script.[12] Later he added, "I needed somebody who is city slick girl (Alia Bhatt), who has never been out. But the guy (Randeep Hooda) had to be somebody who has had a life and understanding of life".[19] About Hooda's character, Ali stated, "Mahabir is also pure enough not to be a prototypical villain. Only later in the film, certain things are revealed about him, why he’s an oppressor."[15]
Crew
As per previous collaboration of Ali with the composer A.R. Rahman, the latter's inclusion in the project though initially rumored[20] was confirmed by March 2013. In an interview with The Telegraph Ali stated that he wasn’t even thinking of A.R. Rahman to score for this film. However, after reading the script Rahman agreed to score.[12] In yet another interview Ali stated, he and Rahman were in touch through Skype and Rahman enquired about Ali's new project and wanted to collaborate after Ali deciphered the outline of the story.[15] The film is produced by Sajid Nadiadwala under his new production house Window Seat Films and Imtiaz Ali is the co-producer. The cinematography was done by Anil Mehta. Resul Pookutty was roped in for the film's sound design. Lyricist Irshad Kamil has penned the songs.[21][22]
Filming
Principal photography began in early March 2013 on highways of India. Imtiaz Ali quoted, "Highway is emotionally charged, physically strenuous". The first look as a snap at the filming location featuring the director and the lead actors was released in March 2013.[23] Initially, the director planned to shoot along Bengal-Bihar-Odisha highway road belt but later opted to shoot along the road highways of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh[24] and Kashmir, making the film first of its kind to shoot such. Scenes were shot in Kuchaman valley where the sand dunes provided the terrain transitions that were necessarily required.[13] In mid-April 2013, the crew was off to Gurais, Kashmir to shoot a song and some sequences in the valley.[25] Scenes in Aru valley and Chandanwari near Pahalgam were also canned.[26] By early May 2013, nearly seventy percent of the filming was completed.[27] Although the entire shooting was planned for 60 days the team finished the same in 52 days. On filming scenes, in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Ali stated, "I also didn't go for a large camera setup such as cranes and dollies. I wanted the cameras to be easily transported as we were shooting in difficult locations such as mountains. So if I thought the shot would look better from a higher angle, we could move the equipment faster than if we had a heavy setup."[11] Officially, the shooting was wrapped up on 28 May 2013.[28]
MusicEdit
Main article: Highway (soundtrack)
The film soundtrack album is composed by A. R. Rahman. The album has nine original songs with lyrics of eight tracks penned by Irshad Kamil and remaining one by Lady Kash and Krissy. Initially, the film was planned with only background score and no songs.[29] The track "Maahi Ve" sung by A. R. Rahman and "Patakha Guddi (female)" sung by Nooran sisters (Jyoti & Sultana Nooran), both these singles framed the score of the theatrical trailer[30] These tracks clenched second position on iTunes India single charts on their respective release dates as singles. The complete soundtrack album had a digital release on 24 January 2014. It debuted on number one position on iTunes India and "Maahi Ve" was the chart topping single.[31]
PromotionEdit
Marketing began from November 2013 wherein series of behind the scenes footages as episodes titled under the head "Highway Diaries" were released on Bollywood Hungama's production blog.
The film's merchandise, consisting head gear, jackets, map scarfs, bags and shirts, all with fabric prints of title logo, were made available for online purchase.[32] On 30 January 2014, Alia Bhatt promoted the film on the sets of Dance India Dance.[33] On 13 February 2014, Hooda, Bhatt, Ali, A. R. Rahman and the director of Disney UTV made an appearance at Cineworld in Feltham to promote the film as well for its first International premiere at the 64th Berlin International Film Festival.[34] Ali and Alia Bhatt promoted the film at an event in Taj West End, Bengaluru.[35] The leading duo and Imtiaz Ali appeared on the show Comedy Nights with Kapil to promote the film.[36] Actor Ranbir Kapoor had seen an early cut of the film. He arrived at the Film City studios where he, Imtiaz Ali and Alia Bhatt moved around in the truck and had a talk about the
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