Concerned about Highway BO's fate, Mahesh Bhatt takes 'cultural terrorists' head-on

While the Bhatts (Mahesh and Pooja) have expressed happiness at Alia’s stellar performance who has been drawing rave reviews and accolades from all quarters, they seem to be a tad concerned about the film’s box office (BO) fate! The moot question is: will Indian audiences accept the storyline of the film with all its complexities including taboo topics? This has emerged from the disappointment expressed by certain film critics and bloggers, who had very high expectations from Imtiaz Ali’s film. The movie which was screened for the press yesterday (itself a very bold move) has received mixed reviews with some adoring it and others calling it “a Highway that leads nowhere”. Taking the bull by its horns, Mahesh Bhatt also took the battle head-on in social media with his tweet -“film reviewers = cultural terrorists”. Profuse in his praise for the movie, Bhatt wrote, “Highway takes the road less travelled and makes way deep into your heart. Thank you Imtiaz Ali for making Alia ‘live’ the role of her lifetime. The women of our country will empathise with this heartfelt tale.” Hailing Imtiaz Ali as a true artiste by tweeting “The revolutionary flow dwells in the blood of a true artist!”, Bhatt has justified Ali’s intention to tread a new path. An eyewitness who was present at the special screening yesterday told us that Alia and Randeep impressed one and all with their performances. “The kind of reception that Imtiaz received after the movie ended was similar to what he experienced after the screening of Jab We Met,” reveals the eye-witness who had the privilege of attending the special screening of Jab We Met as well. Pooja Bhatt too couldn’t stop lavishing praise on young Alia. Pooja is reported to have exclaimed that she finally found a man in Imtiaz Ali who made her sister (Alia) act. “Long after the movie was over the entire family clung together praising Alia for her heart-tugging acting,” say the eye-witness. Later at night, Pooja just like her father took to twitter to express her happiness. “Highway heralds Alia’s birth as an actress. Thank you Imtiaz for your audacity, Randeep for your vulnerability and Alia for your strength.” Alia’s performance notwithstanding, it remains to be seen if Indian audience would accept a movie which to quote Mahesh Bhatt ‘takes the road less travelled.’ Mahesh himself hoped that Imtiaz Ali’s film and Alia’s performance won’t be judged by its commercials, and skeptically tweeted, “The entertainment spaces world over are prisons where human talent is entrapped by the cruel wishes of high finance.” It remains to be seen if the audience will enjoy the joyous more than two hour long drive on the Highway. All eyes on Friday, 21 February!