With 'Highway', a captivating and heartbreaking Romance/Drama, Imtiaz Ali is back to his charming and likable sensibilities like that of 'Jab We Met' and 'Love Aaj Kal', after the terrible 'Rockstar' (though its first half was excellent). The only exception is that in this movie, the characters have proper depth and originality which is quite rare in Hindi movies. Other than Anil Mehta's visual mastery (cinematography) and A.R.Rahman's enchanting background score, it's young Alia Bhatt's groundbreaking performance that gives the movie its soul.
Veera (Alia Bhatt), who's a girl from a rich family, is incidentally kidnapped by a group of thugs, headed by Mahabir (Randeep Hooda), after she accidentally witnesses a shootout. The journey and few circumstances eventually make these two people affectionate to each other. I'm completely sick and tired of audiences and critics going on and on about how the movie is about Stockholm Syndrome and almost celebrates it, and how it's morally disturbing in a country where women's safety is a concern. First of all, Stockholm Syndrome is a psychological phenomenon in which the hostage expresses empathy/sympathy towards its captor/aggressor, which is mainly one way the ego defends itself. Military/fraternity/college hazing or ragging, and earlier Hindi movies like 'Kabul Express' and 'Raavan' might be taken as examples of this syndrome, but not this movie. People who watch the movie closely and properly would clearly understand that the movie is nowhere near to this syndrome; it mainly speaks about two souls, who were captives of their own lives, finding freedom and solace in each others' presence during their incidental journey. Veera, who was a victim of child abuse and always felt claustrophobic in her own house, finally finds herself free as she passes through these beautiful places across north of India. Mahabir, who has had painful and not-so-memorable childhood where his mother was the only caretaker, ends up in a life of robbery and thuggery to take revenge on the society which kept his mother and him in such menial circumstances; his heart melts when Veera, a girl from the kind of rich families he has grown to hate, shows such affection towards him in spite of knowing the kind of person he is, and he feels guilty thinking that he doesn't deserve such love after the kind of life he has led. And thus, a bond is etched between the two lost souls.
I never expected characters with such depth in Imtiaz's movie, but I really applaud him for his effort. It was refreshing to see such characters in a Bollywood movie. The story is quite intriguing as well. Hope he continues this trend rather than going completely mainstream.
Now let's come to the star of the movie. Alia Bhatt, who in her debut film ('Student of the Year') had a not-so-substantial and glamorous role, completely stuns you with her riveting portrayal of Veera. Whether it's the upbringing in a movie family, or the brilliant efforts of her Director Imtiaz Ali, or her proper research on the subject, whatever it is... you don't expect such a powerful and moving performance from a 20-year-old from her second movie. Alia proves to be a skillful actress, just like her half-sister Pooja Bhatt, with her in-depth character portrayal and wide range of emotions. The laughter-cum-breakdown scene over the rock over a stream, the tears-of-joy moment at the bus station, and the family confrontational scene towards the end are her emotional highlights of the movie. There's a scene in which she suddenly starts dancing on the road to techno-pop song in a Britney way and one of the kidnappers starts dancing behind her in typical Indian steps; the situation shocks you as much it does Mahabir, but it's quite hilarious and entertaining as well. Randeep Hooda is commendable as well for his portrayal of Mahabir, and forms a good support as the angry and brooding thug/kidnapper who finally finds happiness by letting go of all the anger.
The highway across the Northern Indian terrain itself becomes one of the characters in the film, and the terrific way in which Anil Mehta captures it is exquisite. From the dry empty deserts and the rural folk music of Rajasthan, the roadside vendors, the street dhabas, to the gushing streams, the wafting clouds, and the snowy mountains of the Himalayas... all these just add to the beauty of the movie. And A.R.Rahman's minimalistic yet spellbinding music helps to carry the movie forward in its simplistic charm.
It's a journey worth taking and relishing. The situations and characters provide a lot of ground for discussions.
Veera (Alia Bhatt), who's a girl from a rich family, is incidentally kidnapped by a group of thugs, headed by Mahabir (Randeep Hooda), after she accidentally witnesses a shootout. The journey and few circumstances eventually make these two people affectionate to each other. I'm completely sick and tired of audiences and critics going on and on about how the movie is about Stockholm Syndrome and almost celebrates it, and how it's morally disturbing in a country where women's safety is a concern. First of all, Stockholm Syndrome is a psychological phenomenon in which the hostage expresses empathy/sympathy towards its captor/aggressor, which is mainly one way the ego defends itself. Military/fraternity/college hazing or ragging, and earlier Hindi movies like 'Kabul Express' and 'Raavan' might be taken as examples of this syndrome, but not this movie. People who watch the movie closely and properly would clearly understand that the movie is nowhere near to this syndrome; it mainly speaks about two souls, who were captives of their own lives, finding freedom and solace in each others' presence during their incidental journey. Veera, who was a victim of child abuse and always felt claustrophobic in her own house, finally finds herself free as she passes through these beautiful places across north of India. Mahabir, who has had painful and not-so-memorable childhood where his mother was the only caretaker, ends up in a life of robbery and thuggery to take revenge on the society which kept his mother and him in such menial circumstances; his heart melts when Veera, a girl from the kind of rich families he has grown to hate, shows such affection towards him in spite of knowing the kind of person he is, and he feels guilty thinking that he doesn't deserve such love after the kind of life he has led. And thus, a bond is etched between the two lost souls.
I never expected characters with such depth in Imtiaz's movie, but I really applaud him for his effort. It was refreshing to see such characters in a Bollywood movie. The story is quite intriguing as well. Hope he continues this trend rather than going completely mainstream.
Now let's come to the star of the movie. Alia Bhatt, who in her debut film ('Student of the Year') had a not-so-substantial and glamorous role, completely stuns you with her riveting portrayal of Veera. Whether it's the upbringing in a movie family, or the brilliant efforts of her Director Imtiaz Ali, or her proper research on the subject, whatever it is... you don't expect such a powerful and moving performance from a 20-year-old from her second movie. Alia proves to be a skillful actress, just like her half-sister Pooja Bhatt, with her in-depth character portrayal and wide range of emotions. The laughter-cum-breakdown scene over the rock over a stream, the tears-of-joy moment at the bus station, and the family confrontational scene towards the end are her emotional highlights of the movie. There's a scene in which she suddenly starts dancing on the road to techno-pop song in a Britney way and one of the kidnappers starts dancing behind her in typical Indian steps; the situation shocks you as much it does Mahabir, but it's quite hilarious and entertaining as well. Randeep Hooda is commendable as well for his portrayal of Mahabir, and forms a good support as the angry and brooding thug/kidnapper who finally finds happiness by letting go of all the anger.
The highway across the Northern Indian terrain itself becomes one of the characters in the film, and the terrific way in which Anil Mehta captures it is exquisite. From the dry empty deserts and the rural folk music of Rajasthan, the roadside vendors, the street dhabas, to the gushing streams, the wafting clouds, and the snowy mountains of the Himalayas... all these just add to the beauty of the movie. And A.R.Rahman's minimalistic yet spellbinding music helps to carry the movie forward in its simplistic charm.
It's a journey worth taking and relishing. The situations and characters provide a lot of ground for discussions.