THE HIGHWAY EXPERIENCE

Pic.: Vincent D'Souza

Watching the Hindi movie, ‘Highway’, was a different movie-experience! Both, my wife and I, came out a lot moved by the experience. Outstanding performances, particularly by young Alia Bhatt, the cinematography, music and editing of world-class standard... and, above all, the story, screenplay and direction... all these kept us glued to our seats... “Ten on Ten,” I heard me telling myself in my mind...

Well, outside the door, I overheard someone grumbling, “Boring!”

My experience is my experience... So, my ratings – Ten on Ten - to the story-teller Imtiaz Ali, the actress Alia Bhatt and, even, the underrated actor Randeep Hooda  stand!

Go and watch the movie!

Two days ago, my son and his friends had been to watch ‘Highway’. I become a lot self-conscious while talking about movies with today’s young-ones... They have strong, independent opinions, and they, indeed, understand the craft, nuances and the movie business and its world much better than we – the old-timers – do...

So, at night, when I asked about the Highway-experience, my son said that he deeply admired the director, the cast and every other department. Some of his friends, including girls, had watched it two-three times, he told me... Well, my experience was validated, and I was happy!

It was my son who told me that Imtiaz Ali wanted to make ‘Highway’ as his first film. Understandably, no one, in his good sense, would put his crores on your crazy idea like ‘Highway’ when you are barely trying to get a foothold in a rat-race called ‘Bollywood’. They are big sharks, and you need some mighty strength to negotiate your way through their rough sea!

So, my son told me, that Imtiaz Ali made all his other movies first, and waited for years, just to come back and make the movie of his heart – ‘Highway...that,  he did it with all his sincerity and passion... and, he has now done it exactly the way he wanted to!

This part of the story is not told on the celluloid. But, I was more fascinated when I heard it from my son... and, I am now writing about it, precisely, for this reason...

Each one of us carry in our heart – a story, a dream... something which we are so fascinated about, so obsessed with... We go about our lives – sometimes, our entire life-time – dreaming about it, talking about it... But, many a times, the story remains untold, the dream remains unrealized...

Yes, with many of us, it is a familiar sad-story... Our story goes untold... Our music goes un-played... Our dream goes unrealized!

Years ago, Sir Richard Attenborough had a story in his heart to tell – the story of ‘Gandhi’. He carried this story – this dream – for twenty long years... During this period, he ran, desperately, from pillar to post, trying to convince someone to fund his project... only to come home disappointed. Meanwhile, he did many things which were not as dear to him as the story of Gandhi on celluloid. Then, after that long wait of two decades, he made his epic movie, exactly the way he wanted it to be! The struggle, the passion, and the wait... all these were worth it... The eight Oscars were all well-earned!

All along the journey of our lives, we need to traverse through roads, lanes and by-lanes, probably, not of our likings... But, we may have to take them just to be were we want to be...

The wise-men have said, “Life is all about coming home!”

GERALD D’CUNHA