OPEN LETTER – To, Dear Imtiaz Ali

I must say I am a big fan of your style of story telling. And I already think of you very highly, for extracting the right kinda acting from all your actors till date. And you did the same with your latest movie HIGHWAY.

For many reasons, I feel, Highway is not just a love story. The injection of child abuse in the storyline, brings the naked truth of India to the mainstream. The complex relationships, often wrapped with sparking tiles, glittery Chandeliers and sealed with tehzeeb and tameez amidst the high society culture, is carefully explored.

For reasons, more than one, I feel this movie is about the divide between the India and Bharat that co-exists and hopes to journey into the future.

Mahavir’s angst with the ameer log (rich people), and his mute stares at Veera’s careless dancing on the road, is very much telling about the divide. To me Veera is the ignorant upper class and Mahavir is the representative of those exploited for generations together.

The woman that he has seen – his mother – and the woman that he is experiencing now – Veera – are miles away from each other. But, they meet at a common point when, he sees them both exploited by men at some point of time.

These interesting observations about the society we live in, carefully woven into the love story, makes it a movie worth giving a thought.

Having said all this, I would still say that Highway is not an amazing cinematic experience. The very stereotypical imagery of a man seeking motherly solace in his lover, could have been avoided I feel. The affiliation Veera feels for Mahavir was rather too quick to be true! And the whole typically girly concept of ‘I wish to do anything… and I know for sure that you are there to take care… if things go wrong’ – I dont expect this from you Imtiaz.

Anyways, I am very hopeful and eagerly waiting for another movie from you…

Your dedicated movie-goer,

Priyanka Desai