Highway (2014 Hindi film)
Highway | |
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Directed by | Imtiaz Ali |
Written by |
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Produced by |
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Starring | |
Cinematography | Anil Mehta |
Edited by | Aarti Bajaj |
Music by | A. R. Rahman |
Production companies |
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Distributed by | UTV Motion Pictures[1] |
Release dates |
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Running time | 133 minutes[2] |
Country | India |
Language | Hindi |
Budget | ₹25 crore[3] |
Box office | ₹47.7 crore[3] |
Highway is a 2014 Indian
Upon release, Highway received positive reviews from critics, with high praise directed towards Bhatt's performance, thus proving to be a breakthrough for her. It also emerged as a commercial success at the box office.
At the 60th Filmfare Awards, Highway received 9 nominations, including Best Actress (Bhatt) and Best Story (Ali), and won Best Actress (Critics) (Bhatt).
Plot
Veera Tripathi is the sheltered daughter of Manik Kumar Tripathi, a rich
The men continuously move Veera through different cities to avoid being tracked by police. Eventually, when the police forcefully search the truck, Veera hides, much to her own surprise. She concludes she loves the journey and does not want to return to her family. As the days pass, Veera finds peace and newfound freedom, confusing and frustrating Mahabir. Veera becomes comfortable with her captors and even confides in Mahabir she was sexually abused by her uncle as a nine-year-old multiple times. She views the abduction as a blessing in disguise since she finally has the chance to experience life and find herself. Slowly, she unravels Mahabir's story and learns his father continually abused both him when he was a young child and his mother, who was used as a sex slave by rich landlords. Mahabir escaped and never returned.
Mahabir slowly lets down his guard and begins to care for Veera, and his anger fades away. He tries to leave her at a police station in a small mountainous town they stop by. However, Veera refuses and insists on staying with Mahabir. They travel together, and he starts to fall in love with her. They stay in a hilltop house and Veera reveals having a small home in the mountains was one of her many dreams. Mahabir becomes emotional seeing how Veera cares for him, reminding him of his mother. Both sleep peacefully that night, free from their respective haunting pasts. The next morning, the police arrive and shoot Mahabir, to which Veera reacts strongly. It is later revealed Mahabir had died on the spot.
Veera is later brought back to her parents' house, where she recovers from the emotionally draining experience while surrounded by her family members, including Vinay. Finally gaining strength, she confronts her uncle, who molested her as a child, in front of her family. She yells and breaks down as she asks her father why he warned her about dangers posed by outsiders while the real threat was from insiders, the people who had surrounded her since childhood. She leaves the house and goes to live in the mountains, where she starts her own factory and buys her own house. Feeling content, she closes her eyes and envisions her nine-year-old self playing happily on the hillside with a young Mahabir, making peace with the man she loved and their mutual childhood forms.
Cast
- Alia Bhatt as Veera Tripathi
- Samar Mudasir Bakshi as young Veera
- Randeep Hooda as Mahabir Bhati
- Mohd. Kaif as young Mahabir
- Arjun Malhotra as Vinay
- Saharsh Kumar Shukla as Goru
- Pradeep Nagar as Tonk
- Durgesh Kumar as Aadoo
- Hemant Mahaur as Kasana
- Reuben Israel as Manik Kumar Tripathi, Veera's father
- Naina Trivedi as Amma
Production
Development
In an interview with
Casting
Ali said that earlier he was looking out for an older actress to match up with Hooda. However, the role went to Alia Bhatt that made effect on his film script.[11] Later he added, "I needed somebody who is city slick girl (Alia Bhatt), who has never been out. But the guy (Randeep Hooda) had to be somebody who has had a life and understanding of life".[16] About Hooda's character, Ali stated, "Mahabir is also pure enough not to be a prototypical villain. Only later in the film, certain things are revealed about him, why he's an oppressor."[14] Besides the main casting Imtiaz Ali and Mukesh Chhabra cast Pradeep Nagar as one of the main henchman of Randeep.
Crew
As per previous collaboration of Ali with the composer
Filming
Music
The film soundtrack album is composed by A. R. Rahman. The album contains nine original songs with lyrics of eight tracks penned by Irshad Kamil and remaining one by Lady Kash and Krissy. Initially, the film was planned with only background score and no songs.[27] The track "Maahi Ve" sung by A. R. Rahman and "Patakha Guddi (Female)" sung by Nooran sisters (Jyoti & Sultana Nooran), both these singles framed the score of the theatrical trailer,[citation needed] These tracks clenched second position on iTunes India single charts on their respective release dates as singles. The complete soundtrack album had a digital release on 10 January 2014. It debuted on number one position on iTunes India and "Maahi Ve" was the chart topping single.[28]
Marketing
Marketing began from November 2013 wherein series of behind the scenes footages as episodes titled under the head "Highway Diaries" were released on Bollywood Hungama's production blog.
The film's merchandise, headgear, jackets, map scarfs, bags and shirts, all with fabric prints of title logo, were made available for online purchase.
Release
Initially set to release on 12 December 2013, the film's release date was moved to 21 February 2014.
Reception
Critical reception
Metacritic gives the film a score of 40 out of 100, based on 5 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[37]
India
Critic Srijana Mitra Das for
For
Overseas
Priya Joshi of Digital Spy gave it 4 (out of 5) stars: "It's exemplary filmmaking, and the hope is that audiences will take a detour from the confines of commercial Bollywood and embrace this wholly edifying experience. Highway' will move you in ways you would have never expected."[50] Sneha May Francis for Emirates 24/7 wrote, "Barring a sluggish narrative and a few continuity slip-ups, Imitiaz’s movie promises remarkable performances. Highway is a road less traveled, and one that we think you must embark on. It's a bumpy ride, no doubt, but one that's set in the right direction."[51] Deborah Young for The Hollywood Reporter stated that "Soul-lifting visuals and a score by A. R. Rahman help, but can't save, a pat drama."[52] Viji Alles for UKAsian wrote, "a road-trip movie that not only gives a triumphant two-fingered salute to many films of the genre but to Bollywood convention as well."[53] Rachel Saltz for The New York Times putforth, "Mr. Ali’s story, though, wanders too long and too far, sometimes coming off like a forced mash-up of It Happened One Night (1934) and Patty Hearst (1988). No wonder the film can't sustain a tone, wavering between realism and Bollywood hokum."[54] Assigning the film 3.5 out of 5 stars, critic Manjusha Radhakrishnan for Gulf News stated, "It's gritty in parts and unrealistic in some (which hostage would break out into a hip-hop dance on wasteland). But watch this one for Bhatt and Hooda. They are at their vulnerable, rugged best. Plus, if you are in the mood to see India in its raw, unpolished state, Highway can be an exhilarating ride."[55] Critic Zachary Wigon for The Village Voice commented, "Imtiaz Ali's Highway is nothing if not erratic in its narrative delivery — though its fascinating thematic concern remains fixed throughout." He summarized the film - 'Indian 1 Percenter Kidnapped! Then She Falls in Love! It's Bollywood..'"[56] Ronnie Scheib for Variety said, "Life is literally a highway for kidnapper and victim in this engaging and atypical improvised Bollywood road dilm."[57] At critic Roger Joseph Ebert's website where the film receives 2.5 stars (out of 4) critic-cum-journalist Danny Bowes wrote, "Highway might be a very good movie indeed. Instead, it's an inconsistent, if intermittently splendorous, work. There are, to be perfectly clear, far worse things in life."[58]
Box office
- India
The film was released on over 700 screens across India; mostly in multiplexes. It started slowly with occupancy of 20–25% at the theatres but later gained momentum during evening in multiplexes in metropolitan cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Gurgaon, and Bangalore collecting ₹32.5 million (US$390,000)–₹35 million (US$420,000).[59][60] Second day collections were around ₹40 million (US$480,000)–₹42.5 million (US$510,000) with growth in circuit's like Delhi NCR, East Punjab, Rajasthan and CI.[61] On the fourth day post its release, the film grossed around ₹25 million (US$300,000) nett taking the overall four-day total to ₹155 million (US$1.9 million).[62] The complete one week collections after the release accounted for ₹217.5 million (US$2.6 million).[63] On the eighth day, the film dropped its collections, grossing around ₹0.75 million (US$9,000) nett. The total business in eight days was around ₹225 million (US$2.7 million) nett.[64] The film dropped in its second week as it collected ₹50 million (US$600,000)-₹52.5 million (US$630,000) nett in its second weekend taking its two-week gross to around ₹226 million (US$2.7 million) nett.[65]
- Overseas
The film collected Rs 1.78 crores nett ($286,495) from 81 screens in the US, Rs 24.22 lakhs ($39,027) from 12 screens in Canada, Rs 1.49 crores (AED 881,500) in the UAE and Rs 1.10 crore (£106,581) from 49 screens in the UK Box Office in the first weekend. the performance of Highway is not up to the mark in other foreign countries like Australia and New Zealand. The film has raked in Rs 22.51 lakhs (A$40,391) from 13 screens in Australia and Rs 5.15 lakhs (NZ$10,020) from 6 screens in the New Zealand Box office in the first weekend. which released in around 250 screens in the international markets, has approximately collected Rs 5.58 crores ($900,000) at the Overseas Box Office in the first weekend.[66]
Accolades
- Note – The lists are ordered by the date of announcement, not necessarily by the date of ceremony/telecast.
Distributor | Date announced | Category | Recipient | Result | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Stardust Awards | 15 December 2014 | Best Director (Searchlight Awards) | Imtiaz Ali | Won | [67][68] |
Best Actor (Searchlight Awards) | Randeep Hooda | ||||
Superstar of Tomorrow (Female) | Alia Bhatt | ||||
Best Actress (Searchlight Awards) | Nominated | ||||
Best Female Playback Singer | Jyoti & Sultana Nooran (for "Patakha Guddi") | ||||
Best Music Director | A. R. Rahman | ||||
Best Actress in a Drama | Alia Bhatt | ||||
Best Actor in a Drama | Randeep Hooda | ||||
BIG Star Entertainment Awards | 19 December 2014 | Most Entertaining Film
|
Imtiaz Ali, Sajid Nadiadwala | Nominated | [68] |
Most Entertaining Social - Drama Film | |||||
Most Entertaining Romantic Film | |||||
Most Entertaining Actor in a Social - Drama Film - Female | Alia Bhatt | ||||
Most Entertaining Actor in a Social - Drama Film - Male | Randeep Hooda | ||||
Most Entertaining Song | A. R. Rahman (for "Maahi Ve") | ||||
Star Guild Awards
|
12 January 2015 | The Guild Presidents Award | Highway | Won | [69][70] |
Best Director | Imtiaz Ali | Nominated | |||
Best Actress in a Leading Role | Alia Bhatt | ||||
Best Actor in a Leading Role | Randeep Hooda | ||||
Best Female Playback Singer | Sultana & Jyoti Nooran (for "Patakha Guddi") | ||||
Best Lyricist | Irshad Kamil (for "Patakha Guddi") | ||||
Best Music Director (with track name) |
A. R. Rahman (for "Patakha Guddi") | ||||
Best Story | Imtiaz Ali | ||||
Best Screenplay | |||||
Best Dialogue | |||||
Screen Awards | 15 January 2015 | Best Female Playback Singer | Sultana & Jyoti Nooran (for "Patakha Guddi") |
Won | [71][72] |
Best Director | Imtiaz Ali | Nominated | |||
Best Actor (Female) | Alia Bhatt | ||||
Best Actor (Male) | Randeep Hooda | ||||
Best Music | A. R. Rahman | ||||
Best Background Score | |||||
Best Lyricist | Irshad Kamil (for "Patakha Guddi") | ||||
Best Editing | Aarti Bajaj | ||||
Filmfare Awards | 31 January 2015 | Best Actress (Critics) | Alia Bhatt | Won | [73] |
Best Lyricist | Irshad Kamil (for "Patakha Guddi") |
Nominated | |||
Best Female Playback Singer | Jyoti Nooran, Sultana Nooran (for "Patakha Guddi") | ||||
Best Story | Imtiaz Ali | ||||
Best Editing | Aarti Bajaj | ||||
Best Cinematography | Anil Mehta | ||||
Best Background Score | A. R. Rahman | ||||
Global Indian Music Academy (GiMA) Awards | 25 February 2015 | Best Film Album | Won | [74][75] | |
Best Music Arranger & Programmer | A. R. Rahman (for "Maahi Ve") |
Nominated | |||
Best Background Score | A. R. Rahman | ||||
Best Music Director | |||||
Best Music Debut | Jyoti & Sultana Nooran (for "Patakha Guddi") | ||||
Best Female Playback Singer | |||||
Mirchi Music Awards | 26 February 2015 | Female Vocalist of The Year
|
Nooran Sisters (for "Patakha Guddi") |
Won | [76][77] |
Upcoming Female Vocalist of The Year
| |||||
Best Background Score | A. R. Rahman | Nominated | |||
PTC Punjabi Music Awards | 21 April 2015 | Best Punjabi Song Based in a Hindi Film | Jyoti & Sultana Nooran (for "Patakha Guddi") |
Won |
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External links
- Official website
- Highway at IMDb
- Highway at Rotten Tomatoes
- Highway at Metacritic
- Highway at Box Office Mojo