Former Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee once said, “Normally, roads have some potholes. In my constituency, the potholes have some roads.” That was the case before his government embarked on a National Highway Development Program. The new Golden Quadrilateral Highway will connect India’s major cities, accelerating its economy into the 21st century, and challenging its ties to the past.
India’s Fast Lane to the Future provides an intimate look at the country’s new expressway and its effects on India. Through Ed Kashi’s vibrant photographs of highway construction, Indian rituals, high-tech factory workers, over-worked truck drivers, and the growing middle class, the film captures India’s conflict between the old and new.
Produced by Julie Winokur
Photography by Ed Kashi
Cinematography by Vinay Diddee