Aishwarya Rai was Imtiaz Ali’s first choice for Highway, not Alia Bhatt; he explains, ‘I didn’t want to cast a…’
Imtiaz Ali’s Highway was a turning point in Alia Bhatt’s career, but initially, she was not the actress that the director envisioned as Veera. In a recent interview with Mid-day, Ali disclosed that he originally pictured the lead role as being played by a more mature woman. However, after meeting Alia, he changed his mind. He first met Bhatt during a screening of Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana and was impressed by her emotional depth and genuine demeanor.
Imtiaz Ali shared, “I always wanted to cast a slightly older woman, perhaps around 30 years old. I didn’t think a young person could portray the emotional depth needed for the character.” But after getting to know Alia, he realized that age was not the deciding factor, and she possessed the necessary emotional depth.
He also mentioned that Aishwarya Rai could have been a good fit for the role, but he never approached her. Reflecting on his past choices, Ali mentioned that John Abraham was his first choice for the role of Jordan in Rockstar, a role that eventually went to Ranbir Kapoor. He pondered on how different the outcome would have been if John had taken the role.
Rockstar, released in 2011, was a success both commercially and critically. The film also featured Nargis Fakhri, Aditi Rao Hydari, and other talented actors in key roles.