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THROWBACK: Did you know Imtiaz Ali wrote dialogues of Alia Bhatt starrer Highway after reaching location?
It has been a decade since Imtiaz Ali's film Highway featuring Alia Bhatt and Randeep Hooda was released. We recently came across an intriguing revelation shared by the director regarding the movie.
One of the acclaimed movies in Bollywood, Highway was released in 2014. Directed by Imtiaz Ali, the film was led by Alia Bhatt and Randeep Hooda. It’s been ten years since the film narrating an unconventional road trip mesmerized the audience. The film delves into the story of a girl and her kidnapper falling in love with each other. Imtiaz Ali’s strong narration in the film has different layers that open later revealing why Veera played by Alia enjoys comfort and freedom with her captor Randeep Hooda's Mahabir.
What may appear as Stockholm syndrome, a condition in which captives develop a psychological bond with their captors during detention, on the face of it turns out to be something even more grave. Well, do you know that the storyline and the performances which left such a long-lasting impression on the audiences had dialogues written at the last minute?
When Imtiaz Ali revealed writing dialogues for Highway starring Alia Bhatt's on the spot
In an earlier interview with Roshan Abbas on his YouTube channel, Imtiaz Ali revealed the behind-the-scenes details of creating the film Highway. He discussed his initial vision of exploring different genres within a mainstream narrative, featuring a prominent actor and a grand production. However, it was during a casual conversation with cinematographer Anil Mehta that Ali decided to challenge himself by creating a film using only a camera and a captivating story. This decision ultimately led to the birth of Highway.
He said, “The thought of being able to compete with new directors led me to make Highway. There was no light in the film, except for one or two sequences. There was no light, no trolley, there was just a camera on a stick and, this time, I also did not write the dialogues or the script. It was just like 20–25 pages of basic stuff. The scenes were not written. We used to reach the location, and then I would write the scene, and we would shoot it.”
He further continues, “Sometimes, I am taking Alia to the hill with no scene written. One of the challenges was to get to the location. You can’t get to the best places in this country with heavy equipment. So, we took cameras and lugged the actors there. Randeep and Alia both would climb the mountains. Alia would ask me, ‘Sir bolna kya hai? (What are the dialogues?)’ I would tell her, ‘I don’t know. Let’s get there and by the time we are there, you will know.'”
When Imtiaz Ali revealed he had planned Highway with Sunny Deol
It is worth mentioning that earlier in an interview with The Lallantop, Imtiaz Ali had shared that initially, he was planning to make Highway with Sunny Deol. However, it was a very different film that had revenge drama, the kind of film that aligned with Sunny Deol’s filmography. According to him, even that film would’ve done well. The Rockstar director also recalled making the film with Subhash Ghai who perceived the film’s script similar to his 1983 film Hero. “I have seen Hero 25 times, so maybe that story is inside me," he had said.
It is needless to say that throughout the years, the renowned director Imtiaz Ali has delighted fans with iconic films such as Jab We Met, Rockstar, Love Aaj Kal, and many more. However, he showcased an entirely distinct approach to his craft with the film Highway. This movie tackled a relevant and delicate subject matter with the utmost grace and respect.
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