Not Alia, Aishwarya was Imtiaz Ali's first choice for 'Highway'
What's the story
Imtiaz Ali's 2014 film Highway is widely regarded as a turning point in Alia Bhatt's acting career.
However, the filmmaker recently revealed that Bhatt was not his first choice for the lead role of Veera. In fact, he had initially considered casting Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.
Ali shared this information during an interview with Mid-Day, explaining his original vision for the character and film.
Casting choice
Ali wanted 'slightly elder' actor for Veera
Ali revealed that his initial plan was to cast a "slightly elder" actor for the role of Veera.
He said, "I always wanted to cast a slightly elder actress, like a woman of at least 30."
However, he changed his mind after meeting Bhatt at the screening of Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana.
He was drawn to her high emotional quotient.
Information
Ali's initial choice for Veera
Ali further explained his original casting choice in the interview.
"I didn't want to cast a more mature woman who's had experiences of the type that she was going to talk about in the film. Aishwarya Rai without any makeup would be a great choice."
This is not all. Bhatt's casting faced roadblocks later, too.
Doubts
Film's unit was initially unconvinced about Bhatt
In a previous interaction with Mukesh Chhabra on his Mashable India show, Ali had shared that the film's unit was initially unconvinced about Bhatt's ability to carry the film.
He recalled asking her if she had read the script, to which she responded that she felt overwhelmed and thought it was too much to do.
Convincing
Ali made Bhatt narrate the story to convince the unit
Ali further shared how he convinced the film's unit about Bhatt's potential.
He said, "So, to convince them I made her tell the story in her way. By the end, everyone was like nobody else could do this role but Alia."
This decision turned out to be a wise one as Bhatt's performance in Highway was widely appreciated and established her as a versatile actor.