"I being one film old, (my film) will not get good opening or a good weekend. If it's a good film and audience can relate to it, its honesty and sincerity, they will watch it. But if they cannot see that, it will flop," Alia told PTI.
"Today a good film always does well regardless of the genre. Films like 'Shahid', 'BA Pass' got lot of appreciation. Things are changing now, people are accepting good cinema. The word of mouth plays an important role today for non commercial films. It takes time for such (non-massy) films to do well... it is a gamble," she said.
"I am not confident at all...My confidence is zero, I think it will be for every film. It is probably more for 'Highway' because it is a grilling kind of film. I am scared," she said.
Imtiaz had come to Alia's house with the script and the moment she read it, she started dreaming about the film. Since the story moves to several places in India including Delhi, Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and others, it was quite stressful but the actress never gave up.
"I did not feel like giving up, I was wondering how am I still doing it. I was proud of myself, I really pushed myself a lot. There was physical exertion but mentally you feel you can stretch to it. I have pushed myself a lot physically and I am happy about it," she said.
On the unusual pairing of her and Randeep Hooda in the movie, she said, "It is intentionally done. The unusual pairing is done for a reason. Randeep is a buddy and it was fun working with him."
'Highway' hits theatres on February 21.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
