Imtiaz Ali directorial Highway is still remembered for Alia Bhatt and Randeep Hooda's stellar performances and little do people know that the Gangubai Kathiawadi actress was not the filmmaker's initial choice for the role of Veera. In an interview with Mid-Day, the Chamkila director shared that he originally envisioned the lead character as a mature woman, not a young actress like Alia. However, a meeting with Alia Bhatt at the screening of Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana changed his mind. Imtiaz Ali said, "Her emotional quotient was very high, and I was drawn to talk to her.”
The director further revealed that his original vision was to cast an older actress, possibly someone like Aishwarya Rai, who he imagined as a perfect fit for Veera without makeup. However, he never approached anyone else after meeting Alia. "I always wanted to cast a slightly elder, like a woman of at least 30. 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," he shared.
Imtiaz Ali made his directorial debut with the 2005 film Socha Na Tha. His film credits include the hits Jab We Met, Highway, Rockstar, Chamkila, Tamasha. He has also directed projects like Jab Harry Met Sejal and Love Aaj Kal (both the original and the remake). Anurag Kashyap is best-known for directing films such as Dev.D, Gangs Of Wasseypur (both the parts), Mukkabaaz, Lust Stories, Ghost Stories, Choked: Paisa Bolta Hai, Manmarziyaan, among others.