Alia Bhatt wasn’t Imtiaz Ali’s first choice for Highway, director says ‘since it was a mature subject’

Alia Bhatt‘s career took a big surge after the release of Highway. The film is considered actor’s one of the finest performances of her career. The film revolves around a young bride-to-be, who gets kidnapped by a gangster, played by Randeep Hooda. Highway was directed by Imtiaz Ali and now the filmmaker has opened up on why he chose Alia for the lead role. He also shared that Alia wasn’t his first choice for the film. 

In an interview with Mashable India, Imtiaz said, ”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 Luv Shuv Tey Chicken 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.”

”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,” the director added.

On the professional front, Imtiaz Ali is currently awaiting the release of his next, Amar Singh Chamkila. 

On the other hand, Alia Bhatt has several big projects in her kitty including Jigra, Love and War, Takht, The Huntress, Jee Le Zaraa, and Baiju Bawra. 

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