Pune Highway Team Interview: India has so many stories waiting to be told
The trailer of Rahul DaCunha and Bugs Bhargava's upcoming murder-mystery Pune Highway chooses to not reveal much. It features a frenzied, musical repetition of four words, Hansi (Laughter), Dosti (Friendship), Khoon (Murder) and Kaun (Who) combined with visuals of the main characters—all packaged under two minutes. At a time when trailers are often accused of laying bare the entire film, the makers of Pune Highway make sure to just give an enticing glimpse into its world. It was Rahul and Bugs' advertising experience that made them go for a crisper cut. 'Our film is made in such a way that if anything is revealed, it will ruin the experience. So, we decided to cut a trailer that only gives an essence of the film,' says Bugs, known for directing thrillers like Barot House (2019) and Nail Polish (2021).
Pune Highway is adapted from a play of the same name, originally written by Rahul, where Bugs played one of the characters. It was in 2006 that Bugs first suggested Rahul to make it into a film. Then, what took twenty years? 'Rahul making up his mind,' Bugs says with a laugh. Rahul, who is making his debut as a director, admits that he was scared of the medium initially. With the rise of OTT platforms, he found it easier to make the film. 'Streaming platforms don't seem as intimidating. It gives a feeling that my kind of film will eventually find a place somewhere instead of just being sent to festivals,' he reasons, adding that they eventually decided to release it in theatres for the experience it carries. Initially, when Rahul started thinking of adapting the play, he dabbled with the thought of setting the film in one room. However, he decided to break that continuum and visualise it differently for the screen. 'We have retained the core idea of the play. However big it has been shot, it still feels that the film was born from a personalisation of the play,' Rahul says.
The film stars Jim Sarbh, Amit Sadh, Anuvab Pal, Manjari Fadnnis, Ketaki Narayan, Sudeep Modak, Swapnil Ajgaonkar and Rajit Kapur in pivotal roles. Jim, apart from his stint in films, has been part of various plays too. The actor feels that the approach slightly changes when acting for the two mediums. 'It is a matter of volume. Acting in a huge theatre with 2,000 seats, there are certain movements that need to be stretched to engage people all the way in the back. However, doing the same in front of a camera in a close-up shot would look obscene,' he says.
Jim also feels that the way everyone reacts to a performance is subjective. He shares an anecdote when he performed a play by 'being' in the moment and 'feeling' every note deeply, yet it wasn't enough. 'I left the stage thinking that the director would praise me for it. But, instead the director comes over and is like, 'Why are you ruining my play?'', Jim shares, contrasting it with some other days when he would not really be feeling in-tune with his character and just go back to muscle memory to perform. 'On such days, the director will come to you and be like, 'The best show you've ever done was today'', he says. 'So, this emphasis on 'what I feel inside while performing' is sometimes not necessary.'
The actor recently also ventured into production as he backed two regional films that went on to receive international acclaim. One of them, the Marathi film, Sabar Bonda (Cactus Pears), won the World Cinema Dramatic Grand Jury Prize at Sundance Film Festival 2025 and the other one being a Bengali film, Baksho Bondi, starring Tillotama Shome, which premiered at Berlin Film Festival. His decision to support these projects stems from his belief in the diversity of stories in India. 'I think there are so many interesting stories just waiting to be told from all over the country. The more we explore these kinds of stories, the happier we will all be,' he says. Will that also make us better as an industry? 'I don't think it's a question of better or worse. You should just try to help films that you want to see. So, this is something that I want to see. It's just that simple,' he concludes.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
a day ago
- Indian Express
How KL Rahul, Ben Stokes warmed up with Extreme Cricket challenge: Batting on moving truck & floating barge, striking targets stuck on rickshaw tops
Weeks before KL Rahul and Ben Stokes face off in the Tendulkar-Anderson Trophy, the two batting talents went head to head in a spot of Extreme Cricket. The India-England was still a month away, when Rahul and Stokes undertook a Red Bull Extreme cricket challenge that included range-hitting from a moving truck and precision striking on targets batting on a floating barge on a Mumbai lake. The defensive abilities of both the key members of their respective sides were also tested against bowling machines, which they both named Bumrah for the variety in exploring onto the stumps. Moving targets suspended from drones and mounted on auto rickshaws (tum tuk for Stokes), completed the extreme batting challenge. The first challenge saw Rahul batting on a glacially moving open trailer to complete an aggregate 500 metres in a limited number of chances on an empty road stretch. His maximum travelled 110 metre. Stokes's equivalent was batting from a floating barge with 6 buoys rings signalling target zones to land ball into. He managed a few as Naser Hussain provided animated commentary. The second challenge had 4 temporary rooms constructed with balls spitting out bowling machines. Rahul's challenge was to guess 'where' from of the 4 slots the ball would emerge from, while Stokes' needed to wait and bide his time for a 'when', as the delivery suddenly fetched up. In Room 3, Rahul was up against a pitch made of different zones – Wood plank (dead bounce), dust Bowl (slow and low), chaos mat (entirely unpredictable) and marble slab (fast kick bounce). The goal was to not get Out. While Stokes' had to bat with operatic shrieking music blared into his ear. On the final challenge, the two took turns on an open field hitting long aiming at auto rickshaw mounted bullseye targets. One tuk tuk driver had his glass broken by Stokes and wasn't particularly happy. A while later, a drone carried a giant target hovering over the field and moving about. The India-England Test with Stokes as captain and KL Rahul as batting lynchpin starts on Friday at Headingley Leeds.
The Hindu
a day ago
- The Hindu
Vocalist Rahul Deshpande brings his devotional concert to Hyderabad
This weekend, the music festival Vasantotsav arrives in Hyderabad with a performance by noted classical vocalist Rahul Deshpande. The two-and-a-half-hour concert, titled Abhangwari, features abhangs, bhajans, and devotional compositions dedicated to Lord Vittala of Pandharpur. 'I'm excited to perform for a discerning audience in Hyderabad, one that truly appreciates classical and devotional music,' says Rahul. Now in its 10th year, Vasantotsav is held in memory of Rahul's grandfather, the legendary vocalist Vasantrao Deshpande. The next edition will take place at Sri Shanmukhananda Fine Arts and Sangeetha Sabha in Mumbai on June 29. 'It's been a while since I last performed in Hyderabad, so I decided to bring Abhangwari to the city,' he adds. Respect for art forms With a foundation in classical music and a deep respect for various art forms, Rahul moves fluidly between genres and mediums. 'My grandfather used to say that music has three dimensions — sur (melody), lay (rhythm) and abhinay (expression or acting),' he recalls. 'Beyond that, I've always been sensitive to different art forms and hold them in high regard.' Rahul is also working on reviving a musical stage production originally performed by his grandfather. 'There's also an exciting acting project in the pipeline,' he adds, 'but I can't speak much about it just yet.' Organised by Tatvaa Arts, Abhangwari concert by Rahul Deshpande will be held at Shilpakala Vedika on June 22; tickets: Bookmyshow
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
Athiya Shetty turns cheerleader for husband KL Rahul ahead of his test series against England
Athiya Shetty and KL Rahul Athiya Shetty is in the news not for the release of a film or a red carpet event but for a discreet, warm tribute to husband KL Rahul on the eve of India's Test series against England. While walking through the colorful streets of Leeds, Athiya noticed something she could not help but see Rahul's huge poster for a clothing brand, an upscale Italian fashion house he recently reps worldwide. Sharing the moment on Instagram, she captioned it with a wave emoji and a hearts-in-eyes reaction, best capturing a mix of love and pride. According to Sportskeeda, Rahul's poster is a global campaign for the clothing brand and Rahul becomes the brand's first Indian ambassador. Dressed in a fresh cream ensemble, Rahul combines fashion with height, a style that suits Athiya's fashion-conscious personality too. The timing of Athiya's post could not be more apt, coming just days ahead of the opening Test against England at Headingley. Her narrative has since made waves online, fueling pre-match anticipation. From new mom to cricket cheerleader – Athiya's first outing with Evaarah This trip to the UK also comes as one of Athiya's earliest public appearances since adopting motherhood. On March 24, 2025, she and KL Rahul shared the news of their daughter, Evaarah which is a Sanskrit word that means "Gift of God." The couple's peaceful introduction to their baby girl was a sweet celebration of this new addition, and now Athiya is also showing up for her husband just as elegantly as a wife and a proud parent. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo On the other hand, Rahul is appearing to be in good nick as he gets ready to steady India's middle order. Having scored 116 and 51 on tour against the England Lions in warm-up games, he's taken his IPL form to red-ball cricket. With 955 runs and three centuries against England in Tests, Rahul's exposure will be vital for India in this five-match series. As Sportskeeda pointed out, his recent performances are an indication that he's ready and with Athiya and baby Evaarah at his side in England, he's also got the emotional fuel to go the distance.
