From stage to silver screen, the journey of Pune Highway coincides with the journey of two friends — Rahul DaCunha and Bugs Bhargava Krishna

Twenty years back when Pune Highway was staged, theatre buffs lapped it up. The play, subsequently was staged in nine countries and every time the reaction of the audiences was the same — rounds of applause as the curtain went down.

Now, the cinematic outing of the play is being equally loved. The ad-man, theatre veteran Rahul DaCunha debuted as a film director with Pune Highway. His friend and longtime associate Bugs Bhargava Krishna was only too happy to join him in the director’s seat.

If Amul girl is what Rahul owes his fame to, the tagline Taste the Thunder is Bugs’ claim to fame. With 40 years of friendship behind them, the duo has collaborated extensively before. But how was it directing Pune Highway together?

“When we first did the play, I thought that the story would be ideal for a cinematic adaptation. Many, including Anurag Kashyap, told Rahul to make it into a film. So, 20 years later, we finally made this film and the journey continues,” shares Bugs.

A dead body is found 140 km away from Pune and the lives of three close friends get affected forever. Pune Highway, which essentially is a friendship story, also has the tone and tenor of a crime thriller. “It’s a buddy film on its own. It is not a very typical procedural or whodunit,” the duo says.

With Jim Sarbh, Shishir Sharma and Amit Sadh, the two directors put a stellar cast together. They share, “We both wrote the screenplay. All the characters were strong and only very good actors could have pulled it off.”

Bugs Bhargava Krishna had earlier directed thrillers like Nail Polish and Borat House. Does the dark elements associated with this genre fascinate him? “I am fascinated by both light and darkness. You have to be fascinated by darkness to understand it,” says Bugs. The duo assures that they love comedy too, and that there’s a lot of funny stuff in their film!

With two captains steering a ship, were there arguments or disagreements? “There were no arguments. Debates, yes. We were clever and mature enough to know what would be the best for the final outcome. So, the one who came up with a better idea took the lead,” shares Bugs.

A friendship that lasted for four decades is commendable. “What keeps our friendship going is our shared passion for our profession,” shares Rahul. “It’s very rare that you find a partner who is passionate enough about so many things. We have three or four passions — advertising, theatre, now film… which is wonderful.”

“And books. Theatre, advertising, films, and books as we both are writing books,” Bugs adds on.

How is it possible to keep up with so many creative pursuits, we wonder. “We actually sit down and plan our creative life for the next 10 years, that is if we are lucky enough to stay alive and stay healthy,” shares Bugs.

With the film Pune Highway behind them, the duo has one more wish. “While our friend Rajit Kapur visits Chandigarh often, we haven’t been there for a while. The city boasts of a very discerning audience, and we would like to stage a play there soon!”

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