Pune Highway Review: Amit Sadh And Jim Sarbh Shine In This Gripping, Underrated Whodunit

Pune Highway hooks you from the very first frame. The screenplay is taut, never meandering, and the suspense doesn’t just build—it escalates.

It’s ironic that a film titled Bhool Chook Maaf is in fact this week’s most compelling release—and perhaps the most overlooked one too. Among the crowd of new films vying for audience attention, Pune Highway quietly shines as the standout, offering a razor-sharp murder mystery that keeps its cards close till the very end.

The real tragedy, however, lies not in the film’s plot, but in the fact that such well-made cinema rarely gets its due. Limited shows, modest marketing budgets, and no major studio muscle often mean that movies like this one slip through the cracks, despite being leagues ahead in storytelling and execution.

The Story: Old Friends, New Secrets

The narrative centers on four friends. A brutal attack leaves one of them helpless while the others stand frozen, unable to act. Why did they fail to help? What haunted them in that moment? Years later, a dead body is discovered, forcing these men—now scattered in life—to reconnect.

As the past resurfaces, the film peels back layers of guilt, trauma, and deception. Are they connected to the murder? If so, how deep does the rot go? To reveal more would be to rob the film of its biggest strength—its mystery. Let’s just say this is the kind of story where every revelation lands like a gut punch.

What Works: Suspense That Actually Surprises

Pune Highway hooks you from the very first frame. The screenplay is taut, never meandering, and the suspense doesn’t just build—it escalates. What sets this film apart is how seamlessly it oscillates between past and present, weaving timelines together without losing momentum. Unlike many thrillers that rely on over-the-top drama or flashy effects, this one trusts its writing—and it pays off. No excessive noise, no forced melodrama. Just good storytelling, tightly edited and smartly executed.

The real thrill here is that the film never lets you guess the killer until the final reveal—and even then, it makes sure the twist lands with impact.

Performances: Where the Film Truly Soars

Amit Sadh delivers what might be one of the strongest performances of his career. His character is complex—vulnerable at times, unpredictable at others—and he handles every shift with finesse. This is acting that breathes, not performs.

Jim Sarbh is magnetic. As a lawyer, his presence is commanding without being loud. He doesn’t deliver monologues; he delivers impact. Every scene he’s in has a pulse, a charge that lifts the narrative.

Anuvab Pal, in a slightly eccentric role, is a scene-stealer. His character behaves erratically, but not without purpose, and Pal leans into the weirdness with authenticity. Manjari Phadnis is decent in her role, while Ketaki Narayan is a pleasant surprise—natural, expressive, and engaging. Sudeep Modak does a solid job as the inspector, grounding the procedural parts of the plot.

Direction & Writing: A Lesson in Less-is-More

Co-written and directed by Bugs Bhargava Krishna and Rahul Da Cunha, Pune Highway is a triumph of writing. The duo understands that when your story is strong, you don’t need theatrics. Their direction is confident but restrained, allowing the narrative to breathe while keeping the audience on edge. The film’s minimalism is its strength—it doesn’t shout, it simmers.

Surprise elements are peppered throughout the film in just the right doses, ensuring viewers never settle into comfort. The transitions between flashbacks and present-day sequences are handled with maturity, and there's an emotional throughline that gives the story depth beyond its murder-mystery shell.

Verdict

Pune Highway is the kind of thriller Indian cinema needs more of—smart, subtle, and soaked in suspense. It respects the intelligence of its audience and rewards their attention with a genuinely engrossing experience. Sadly, without a massive marketing push or studio backing, it risks becoming another great film that few people see.