Imtiaz Ali recently revealed that initially, casting Alia Bhatt for Highway wasn’t his intention. His entire team also harboured doubts about this decision. However, the actor managed to alter everyone’s perception through her performance.
While conversing with Mukesh Chhabra on his Mashable India show, Imtiaz Ali shared the backstory behind casting Alia for Highway.Initially considering an older actress for the mature subject, Imtiaz was intrigued by Alia’s potential despite her youth. He encountered her while she was watching Love Shuv Tey Chiken Khurana with her mother and was impressed by her grace, beauty, and emotional depth as an actor, prompting him to offer her the script.

The director elaborated, stating that after sending Alia the script, she didn’t contact him for two days. Concerned, he reached out to her, only to find out she felt overwhelmed by the prospect. Alia expressed reservations about being in every scene. Her unexpected casting for Highway left the unit uncertain about her suitability for the role. To sway their opinions, Imtiaz had Alia narrate the story in her own style. By the end, everyone agreed that nobody else could have portrayed the role as effectively as Alia.

Alia Bhatt is set to appear in Vasan Bala‘s ‘Jigra‘ and has ‘Jee Le Zaraa’ lined up. Meanwhile, Imtiaz Ali’s next directorial venture, ‘Amar Singh Chamkila,’ will premiere on an OTT platform starting April 12.