Why Imtiaz Ali Is "Greedy" To Reunite With Alia Bhatt After Highway: 'Rare Space Of Emotional Honesty'

There's one actor who connects filmmaker Imtiaz Ali and actors Sharvari and Vedang Raina, and that's Alia Bhatt. Having collaborated with her at different stages of their careers, all three share immense admiration for the actor, praising not just her performances but also her sincerity and emotional depth.

Imtiaz Ali, who directed Alia in Highway, reflected on his early memories of working with her and recalled how her instincts as a performer stood out even back then. The filmmaker revealed that while shooting in cramped locations, often inside a moving truck, he noticed a unique quality in the young actor.

"While we were shooting Highway, we were in very confined spaces when we were travelling. The camera would be somewhere and I would be lying on the floor or twisted in some corner in that truck. She would be performing, talking to somebody or singing," Imtiaz said.

What struck him most was Alia's awareness of the filmmaking process and her subtle effort to ensure he could witness her performance despite the difficult shooting conditions.

"She had this incredible tendency to tilt herself in standard ways so that I could also see her performance. She was very young then. She would get that little bit of an angle so that I could see her performance while she was performing," he shared.

Imtiaz admitted he deliberately avoided pointing this out at the time, worried that mentioning it might distract her or make her self-conscious. Eventually, he encouraged her not to worry about whether he could see her and simply focus on performing.

For the filmmaker, Alia's greatest strength lies in her emotional honesty. Speaking about her growth since Highway, he praised her ability to disappear into vastly different worlds and characters.

"Alia is someone who operates from a very rare space of emotional honesty. When we did Highway, she was so young, but even then, her instinct was never to just act. It was always to completely surrender and feel the weight of the character," he said.

Imtiaz also pointed to films like Gangubai Kathiawadi and Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani as proof of her range, adding that she can move seamlessly between glossy commercial cinema and emotionally intense storytelling with equal conviction.

And could the duo reunite? Imtiaz certainly hopes so.

"As a director, you are always greedy to work with actors who don't hold back, who are willing to be raw and vulnerable on screen. We talk often, and there's always a desire to find the right script to collaborate again," he said, hinting that a reunion is very much possible when the right story comes along.

Sharvari, who stars alongside Alia in the upcoming spy thriller Alpha, echoed that admiration and said Alia's journey serves as inspiration for younger actors.

"I think for our generation of actors, watching Alia's trajectory is incredibly inspiring. The way she balances massive stardom with such brilliant, critically acclaimed performances is a masterclass in itself," Sharvari said.

Vedang Raina, who shared screen space with Alia in Jigra, also praised her authenticity as a performer.

"There's a certain truthfulness to her screen presence that hits you immediately as an audience member. It definitely sets a benchmark for what you want to achieve when you're just starting out in your career," he said.

Different collaborators, different experiences, but one common takeaway, Alia Bhatt's talent lies not just in performance, but in the honesty she brings to every role.

Imtiaz Ali is looking forward to his upcoming film Main Vaapas Aaunga with Vedang Raina and Sharvari. The movie, set to be released on June 12, also stars Naseeruddin Shah and Diljit Dosanjh.

Also Read | Imtiaz Ali Explains Why Naseeruddin Shah Was "Bedridden" On Main Vaapas Aaunga Set