Highway | Movie Review

Highway - 2014

Directed By : Imtiaz Ali

One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest can be easily dismissed as being a fundamentally flawed film, and experts of psychiatry must have gone angry watching Chief escape from the asylum which otherwise was considered such genuinely cathartic moment of the film by film lovers including myself. While there are people who don't have any special insight about psychiatry or they don't necessarily want think about what happens to Chief after he escapes. For them it is merely a freedom from the oppressive system of Fletcher. It is symbolic for them. But the problem with it is that, Chief's life after the escape might not be as good as we think. He will get lost in the outer world due to his impairment and illness. And the whole idea of patients going wild and rejecting authority might upset and even make many disgusted by the film. For them, its a perfect example of how an inaccurate and inappropriate a film can be. But on the other hand, what makes Cuckoo's Nest, a good, or even a great film is that it doesn't necessarily care about being accurate or appropriate for that matter. It is basically a film about freedom from oppressive and closed system.

And something same is happening with Highway. The central plot of Highway as well, is not accurate or appropriate for that matter. The story itself is so flawed to its centre. No film should romanticise the idea of a young girl running away with the very people who have kidnapped her! And the film should infer that its grave mistake she is doing. It is immature to have such a plot as a device to convey something which might in fact be of greater importance and innocence. But, Highway have the same thing going on with it's narrative as Cuckoo's Nest, though its not fair to compare these two films. For, it is not a very accurate or realistic film. It is quite evident from the naive and paper thin plot, in spite of considering the fact it wants to convey something intimate and of importance. And although I had thought about it grudge about it's realism, I admire the film regardless. With its obvious flaws, and yes, some really clichéd elements, it was an impactful, and surprisingly moving and deeply felt drama. 

The neglect towards realism, is compensated by a moving portrayal of its characters, Veera and Mahabir. I didn't love the film, but loved the characters. They were real people. This film is a strangely beautiful experience. Ali seems to know about women and especially the women on verge of madness because of the oppressive, suffocating world they live in. And Alia so brilliantly portrayed that suffocation. She is so natural here! One particular scene about the near end of the film where she screams in anguish, rage and complete hopelessness is utterly shocking and moving. Its a moment of pure perfection. She was great throughout the film but at the end of the film she really made some great impact. The performances are brilliant throughout. Hooda is breathtaking. He shines in this film. Some moments are so raw and intimate(not in a perverted way) that you have to look away from the screen to distract yourself from it. You feel too fragile even watching it! Even the supporting characters are brilliant. 

Its also a strange mix of mainstream bollywood and independent, artistic cinema. For instance, some songs really did enhance the narrative while some could surely have been avoided. There were scenes so typically bollywood yet the whole film gave the feeling of something atypical. Its a very centrist film in that sense. Its mix of various things yet very distinct to attach it to anything particular. The film is a natural beauty, capturing various types environment and terrains, though maintaining a dreamy feeling. Since being a road film it quite brilliantly captures the 'highway' feel of India. The different types of roads, the refreshing feeling it gives also the fatigue of the same, the road side dhabas, and the various people who accompany them. Its all very authentic. The score by AR Rahman is minimal but impactful, it doesn't shift focus onto itself, rather enhances the narrative. 

Though Highway being a problematic film, its funny, tender and insightful film and very authentic, if one is liberal enough to ignore the unreasonable plot. I loved Mahabir and Veera as characters but not the way they met. Perhaps different circumstances of their meeting would have been better. Yet, you cannot possibly be too demanding, I am grateful that the film atleast exists, with its flaws and charms and tenderness and sheer beauty.

Rating : ★★★★