After a long time, I felt it worth writing a blog for a movie (Highway), and that too Hindi Movie. With my little "Idhar Aaao" Hindi knowledge, I rarely go about watching Hindi movies, but this one, pushed me to go. Sometime back one of my colleague sent me the trailer link of this movie. The trailer clearly outlined the plot of the story - no surprises. A rich girl, whose marriage is about to happen shortly, goes out a night with her fiance on a small road trip. Sudden sequence of events, she gets herself caught as hostage in a robbery. After knowing the girls political identity, the kidnapper takes her along on a road trip far north. The girl, who so far felt herself trapped in a marble bungalow, feels the journey close to her heart, like she got her liberty, the way she wanted. She enjoys every moment of the journey, falls in love with it and the driver. What happens next is the climax.
Only few movies present a good trailer. The other, only the trailer will be good. After watching this Highway trailer, the movie entered in my hit list. Today, I got the chance to watch it on big screen. (AGS, Villivakkam). Here is my review..
Though the trailer was impressive and triggering, one main fact that pushed me to watch the movie was Alia Bhat. With her younger, tender and better look she stole the show in trailer itself. In big screen.. --STOP HERE --
Once a man who met Buddha on his way suddenly spit on his face. Ananda, the prime disciple of Buddha got angry on the man's act and asked permission from Buddha to slap him back. Buddha calmly said "The man wants to say something, but he didn't get the right words, so he spit on me". Saying that Buddha moved on. The next day, the same man, came running to Buddha, fell at his feet and started crying. Buddha again said "Even today the man wanted to say something.. but he didn't get the right word yet". Generally, words are so weak to express emotions. I'm in that man's condition now. I don't find the right words to express this story and put together a blog for it. Whatever I write, will be a miniscule of what I felt in the theater. Such a mind blowing theme and making.
In Tamil action movies, there will be a standard dialogue spelled by doctors when the villain or his adi-podi gets admitted to hospital after getting beaten from hero "naadi narembellam ratha veri yeri irukkaravanalla dhaan indha maadhiri adikka mudiyum".. Sameway, I feel a story of this cadre can be directed only by a guy who has emotions flowing in each of his vein. Otherwise, the story will go blunt.
If you have already watched the old tamil movie "May maadham", this movie is very similar. Nothing different. Just that in May maadham, the bride ends up with a photographer and here Alia bhat with a lorry driver. But the treatment is excellent in this Highway. This movie will certainly not impress masala fans. This is for those who love slow moving, dramatic, romantic, playing with emotions kind of movies.
On the positive side, the movie was spellbound in total. The first half was good, and the second half, excellent. Alia Bhat - without any single glamour or vulgar scene, steals the show by her classic acting. She expresses every emotion easily. I dont know what to say further. Just watch it for her. Hero - A drop of water in a big rock can break it sometimes. Such is the character of the hero. He carries a drop of water in his heart, and when it breaks him down, it's amazing.
Though I liked the movie in full, the scenes that I enjoyed most
1. Alia Bhat runs to Chandigarh bus stand to be with the hero again. Hell a lot of emotional scene, but the hero hushes her to stop speaking and stand a bit away. Watch her and his reactions.. Classy..
2. Both dont know what to do next - they simply travel.. On the top of the bus - Nice scene to watch, especially that snowy visuals
3. When Alia Bhat starts cooking in the house before climax - Hero's emotions remembering his mother. Bit overacting. but okay.
4. Alia Bhat sitting on a rock in the fierce river - Her expressions - Pure Ecstasy..
Me, being a travel lover, that too adhoc travel lover, felt this movie very closely relating to my nature. Many times I realized, life is not within the 3x3 cubicle working 9 hours a day and getting an amount credited by the end of month. Life is very very very big, beautiful and magnificent outside. Those who have tasted a bit of it will know what I meant. When you are you, doing what you want, nothing else matters. That moment, you will love to live or die. Both are same. It's pure bliss. This story, captures a glimpse of it through Alia Bhat.
Oh, forget to mention one other name. ARR. Genius. Music director wins when his music doesn't stand out separately. Music should be buried within the soul of the script, like the lup-tup of the heart. ARR did that this time. No separate songs, except one that Alia Bhat hums and sings. Remaining goes within the scenes. Meaningful silences, Ghazals, BGM.. ARR carries the audience into the story.. HatZ off..
Flipsides? Yes, there are, but can be neglected. Just to state a couple of things here.
1. Alia Bhat escapes into that desert by night. This scene is one turning point of the movie, but shot worst. I guess its mostly Green screen. It didn't pass the right emotion to the viewer. Similar scene will be there in the movie "Croods" where the "guy" takes others to the top of tree and puts off the fire. Suddenly the sky will be exposed. That scene would be breath-taking to watch in Croods. Here it did not feel that great.
2. Climax - The climax was very apt for the movie, but somehow I couldn't feel it. It's my personal opinion. Guess it could be because of one lengthy justification scene before the climax. Alia Bhat's acting was excellent in that scene, but a bit lengthy, and without sub-titles I couldn't get it in full. I think she was firing her uncle, for sexually abusing her at younger age giving foreign chocolates. Second half of the movie was travelling with a good depth, and this pre-climax dialogue scene was not going well with the climax. It made the climax feel a little blunt, though it's apt. It would have been good if the movie ended 20 minutes before the climax, and left to the audience to decide the ending. Bala movie climaxes generally carry the weight of the story till the end. (Pithamagan - We don't know what will happen to Sangeetha, Nanda - Don't know what will happen to Surya, Paradesi - Don't know what will happen to his family).
Overall - SPELL BOUND. Thoroughly enjoyed the movie. Go for it, if you want to see how to emotionally treat a simple story line, and more for Alia Bhat's wonderful acting.
