Numerous films have been made worldwide based on William Shakespeare's globally renowned plays like 'Romeo and Juliet', 'Macbeth', 'Hamlet', and 'Othello'. However, writer-director Rahul Da Cunha has carved his own niche by bringing his acclaimed play, 'Pune Highway', to the big screen.
- Movie Review: Pune Highway
- Actors: Amit Sadh, Jim Sarbh, Anuvab Pal, Manjari Fadnis, Ketki Narayan
- Director: Bugs Bhargav Krishna, Rahul Da Cunha
- Genre: Hindi, Suspense, Mystery, Crime
- Duration: 2 Hrs 1 Min
- Critic Rating: 2.0/5
- Audience Rating: NA
Pune Highway Movie Review: While many films have been made based on Shakespearean classics like 'Romeo and Juliet', 'Macbeth', 'Hamlet', and 'Othello', writer-director Rahul Da Cunha has attempted something different by bringing his acclaimed play 'Pune Highway' to the big screen. This film revolves around a murder mystery, weaving together complex layers of friendship, crime, and moral dilemmas. However, due to a weak script and slow narrative, the film fails to deliver the impact expected.
'Pune Highway': A Confluence of Friendship, Politics, and Mystery
The film's story revolves around four childhood friends – Khandu (Amit Sadh), Vishnu (Jim Sarbh), Nikki (Anuvab Pal), and Babu (Himanshu Balpande). They grew up together, sharing a deep bond. The story takes a turn when Babu is attacked, and a powerful politician, Maneskar (Shishir Sharma), is suspected to be behind it.
Khandu works for Maneskar, creating a moral conflict for Vishnu and Khandu, yet their friendship endures. Vishnu causes Khandu's sister Natasha (Manjari Fadnis) heartbreak, but this too doesn't affect their friendship. However, everything becomes complicated when Maneskar's daughter, Mona (Ketki Narayan), is murdered. The truth behind the murder and the four friends' connection to it forms the film's central suspense. Ultimately, the film questions who committed the murder and why.
Weak Script, Incomplete Story
The film's biggest drawback is its weak script and its flawed structure. While attempting a murder mystery and thriller, the narrative feels sluggish in many places. Suspense is maintained until the end, but its presentation isn't impactful enough to fully engage the audience. Several characters remain underdeveloped, particularly the family backgrounds of Khandu and Natasha, which are not explored adequately.
Nikki's character is filled with interesting aspects, especially his relationship with his mother and its psychological impact. However, this character's behavior is inconsistent throughout the story. At times he is normal, and at other times, his behavior is erratic, creating a lack of consistency.
The depth of the personalities of the friends, besides Vishnu, could have been explored further. There's also confusion regarding Khandu's character; the story struggles to portray him as either positive or negative, making the character lack conviction.
Acting Prowess
While the story falters, Jim Sarbh effectively portrays the internal conflict of his role. Amit Sadh also demonstrates considerable effort in his character, but the limitations of the script prevent him from shining fully. Anuvab Pal and Ketki Narayan also deliver good performances, although their characters could have been more developed.
Manjari Fadnis delivers a decent performance within her limited screen time. However, Sudeep Modak, as Inspector Pethe, is often guilty of overacting, somewhat diminishing the film's seriousness. Actors like Shishir Sharma and Rajit Kapoor also deliver average performances.
Technical Aspects and Music
Technically, the film is average. The background score and editing clearly need improvement. The music fails to support the film's mood, and in several places, the editing weakens the narrative's pace. 'Pune Highway' is a murder mystery that, despite its plot potential, fails to leave a lasting impression due to its weak execution.
With a ber script and deeper character development, this film could have been a compelling thriller. Nevertheless, viewers who enjoy murder mysteries and suspense films might find it worth a single viewing.
