Highway

When we just begin to loose hope in Hindi Cinema, movies like Highway are made which makes us fall in love with Bollywood all over again. Highway is definitely not a typical Hindi movie made these days. It has a soul in it.

Watching Imtiyaz Ali's movie is like reading a book. Every emotion is expressed in such a way that you remain in a long hangover even days after watching his creation. May it be 'Socha na tha', 'Jab we Met', 'Love aaj kal' , ' rockstar' and now 'Highway' in one point or the other one could relate them self with the characters.

Highway is one such movie where silence is the weapon used with just the characters talking with their performance. They don't need hefty dialogues, well nor do they need mere words to convey the emotions that they are going through.

The most surprising factor was Alia bhat. No one would have imagined after watching SOTY that she could deliver such a terrific performance. But she has nailed it as Veera. Veera makes us smile, cry and also laugh when least expected and makes us fall in love with her. Randeep Hooda is up to the mark. Mahabir is tailor made character for Randeep. I cant imagine anyone playing Mahabir with such an ease.

Not to forget, the major credit goes to cinematographer as well. The location are captured in such a way that you can almost smell the Highway and feel the chill of chilling mountains. I could not afford to even wink my eyes, especially in the second half of the movie as the screen has turned so mesmerizing which has a capacity to leave ones eyes struck to the screen and the mouth open in an awe.

I heard few people complaining that the climax is not satisfactory. But, I personally think that this was the perfect climax for such a story.

The movie will stay with you long after you are out of the cinema hall. Which rarely happen these days.

Don't go to watch it with high expectations. You will be disappointed. Just go with a calm mind and slowly get indulge in the beauty of this magical movie.

I saw this first day first show with my family in a suburban theatre.

The movie is thought provoking and it deals with a social message.

Lovely cinematography with a power to heal, to nurture and free your soul.

It made me want to almost pack my bags and take off into the unknown, the joy of lying down beneath the stars, beside a river or even just driving through the snow-capped mountains is enticing to say the least.

Randeep Hooda is very underrated.

He gave a solid performance.

The direction n cinematography is top notch n the best part is the screenplay.

The ending is very shocking and so is the background story of the male lead character.

THIS MOVIE IS A MASTERPIECE...This movie has a soul...a silent scream of a person that has nowhere to go and no one to speak to...and so life is just a HIGHWAY !! Two people from different economic strata, brought together by fate, yet having similar childhood of mistrust, trauma and abuse. There is that void..a deep hole within the soul... that can never ever be forgotten and never be filled ever again. This movie has so many layers deep within it... like how men react differently to traumatic childhood by being aggressive and secluded within, longing for the mother figure to comfort them, and women on the other hand become carefree, wanting to just run from it all and always longing for that father figure that can take care of her always. Imitiaz Ali has researched it so well that you can feel the pain, the inappropriate joy ...and the crazy feeling of comfort in the most strange circumstances. Brilliant piece of art with such a grey hue and painted on landscape of colors !! Alia bhatt..has talent..plenty, plenty of it, and randheep hooda is brilliant. Imitiaz Ali knows the soul and heart of a woman and recreates it well in all its brilliance... a MUST watch Film !!

'HIGHWAY - Imtiaz Ali' Its all the way just my way or the Highway… Imtiaz Ali is NOT the 'on your face' kind of Director but he certainly is very well on the saddle/the hand behind the wheel … totally in control. So whether you like it or not, the story simmers and seeps through the crevices deep into your veins, slowly, no hurry; no intention to make any point.

It's Imtiaz all the way and he sure, is a wanderer… subtly like all his earlier movies (jab we met/ rock-star/ 'Love Aaj Kal'/ 'Socha Na Tha'), he shall take you on a ride to India and make you realize how much you have missed all these years, not wandering. He is probably the guy who could have easily fitted well with NatGeo. May be he lives the moments that he wants to live – through his movies, may be he entices you, invites you to live/ relive those moments, may be….

So this 'Highway'… also moves. It lives up the name, a constant hum of alternate emptiness while the visuals zip past, picture perfect - perfect, anamorphic widescreen shots; just the right exposure wherein the inter-wined scenes give out an Expanse all around. Lot of bonnet- front panned shots which open up visual sectors wide angled as you move ahead, these and those reverse shots from where the camera turns a full 180 degrees to take you back to the front. I mean, achieving all this in a feature film is tremendous especially when the whole movie is shot with natural lighting. And along with it, a subtle (not loud) story chugs along beautifully. Nothing is aggressive ever, even when people get aggressive once a while… it's a highway, remember!

Imtiaz had this passion of sanctifying the childhood. He does that in all the movies; it keeps his present intentions well heeled in what went by. It's always important for his stories. Sure then, the protagonists are always trying to free themselves up, get out there in the open. Its an yearning, well yearned for! It keeps the things in perspective, unbound!!

To sum it up: you can't just be passive, nonchalant, yuck-Yanky in Highway. It sure breathes in some restlessness, differently for every different people; you want to react, getup, breathe out!!! And Highway helps you gulp out the welt, 'welp'! The narrative is smooth, the lessons are bitter; dialogs are simple, sound is perfect, music is just the right amount and blend (AR Rahman).

What would you look for --- Imtiaz Ali, who has a different script (always) and is amazingly observant while being silent (always shows you both sides of the coin in all his movies – while slyly hinting at the upper class society), Strong female lead as always (even Alia Bhatt has been made to act – high notch, very promising now), Randeep Hooda – just fantastic, very original, very mature, needs to be casted more often (if only Gunday was made with him and Ranveer), India – because you still haven't seen it all, felt it –need to be on a highway.

What not to expect – 'Totta Maina Ki Kahani', 'Naach Gaana' PT style, bubbly looks, third-rate jokes.

That's Imtiaz's way or take the Highway!

'Highway' finds Imtiaz Ali at his best. The talented storyteller delivers a beautiful, tragic film that left me spell-bound. Here's a film that celebrates love & tragedy, with skill. Also, Alia Bhatt pitches in a brilliant performance in the central role.

'Highway' Synopsis: Right before her wedding, a young woman finds herself abducted and held for ransom. As the initial days pass, she begins to develop a strange bond with her kidnapper.

'Highway' is amongst Imtiaz Ali's finest works. His Screenplay is wonderful. It creates a world of diverse characters who eventually develop a bond. The protagonist, Veera, played by a sterling Alia Bhatt, is a character who finds freedom while being kidnapped, while the character of Mahabir, played by Randeep Hooda, is in search for love & respect. It's the diversity between these two-characters that makes this road-movie so engaging. Ali's direction is excellent. He's in top-form! Anil Mehta'a Cinematography captures every frame magnificently. Editing is crisp. Music by A.R Rahman is enchanting.

Performance-Wise: Alia Bhatt triumphs with 'Highway'. She delivers a brilliant, sterling performance as the vibrant yet haunted protagonist. She's the life of the film. Randeep Hooda is ever-impressive. He enacts his part with amazing understanding. The supporting cast lends good support.

On the whole, 'Highway' is near-perfection. A marvelous motion-picture!