Imtiaz Ali’s film ‘Highway’ was signed by Alia Bhatt early in her career, and we must say, the film proved to be a game changer for Alia. After making debut in Karan Johar’s ‘Student Of The Year’, Alia was considered just another pretty face, but when she impressed the critics and the audience with her performance in ‘Highway’, everyone did sit up and took notice of her.
However, did you know that casting Alia for ‘Highway’ was not his initial plan, and his unit was also unsure of this decision? Albeit, everyone’s perception changed when Alia delivered a power-packed performance in the film, which co-starred Randeep Hooda.
Narrating the story to Mukesh Chhabra on Mashable India show, Imtiaz shared, “During Highway, I always thought I would cast an older actress. Since it was a mature subject I wanted someone who was above 30. Alia was young, but I could see potential in her. I had not watched Student Of The Year by then. I met Alia when she came to watch the movie Love Shuv Tey Chiken Khurana with her mother. There is grace and beauty to her as an actor and a lot of emotional potential. So I asked her if she would read the script I was sending.”
The director further added, “She did not call me for 2 days after that, so I called her and asked if she read the script. She was a bit overwhelmed and felt it was too much to do. She had an issue that she was there in every scene. Alia was a very unexpected actor for Highway and the unit was not convinced about how she would do this role. So, to convince them I made her tell the story in her way. By the end, everyone was like nobody else could do this role but Alia.”
Work wise, Alia will next be seen in Vasan Bala’s ‘Jigra’. She also has ‘Jee Le Zaraa’ and a YRF spy-universe film in her kitty. As for Imtiaz Ali, his next directorial ‘Amar Singh Chamkila’, starring Parineeti Chopra and Diljit Dosanjh, will begin streaming from April 12 on Netflix.
