Image Source: Press Release: Press Information Bureau
In a candid exchange that captures the pulse of Mumbai’s film-loving youth, Gen Z influencer Natasha (Nats) offered her unfiltered take on the trailer of Pune Highway, the debut film of veteran adman and theatre director Rahul daCunha. The conversation, laced with humor and skepticism, underscores the generational divide and the challenges of drawing young audiences to cinemas in an era dominated by digital entertainment.
Nats, who is known for her wit and 4.5 million social media fans making her a Twitter sensation, didn't mince words:
Saw your movie trailer, Rahul bruh. Not bad, better than expectations… looks like a nice trailer, really trippy. Who makes a debut film, in their 60s dude? … Also, you're such a SoBo dude - this side of sea link kinda guy, can you reach out to the common man - also, looks like it's in Hindi…
DaCunha, co-author of the script with Bugs Bhargava, revealed that the script was first written in English and then translated into Hindi, which is typical among Bollywood scriptwriters. Jim Sarbh and Amit Sadh are the stars of the film, a couple Nats acknowledges as being "hot, hot, hot" and piques her interest regarding the bromance between them that drives the story.
Ignoring her facetious ridicule over daCunha's "horrific" Hindi and the peril of theatrical releases, Nats did concede to the mystery brewed by the tagline, "Dead Body Jhooth Nahi Bolti," guaranteeing suspense, homicide, and enigma.
"Your teaser, your songs, your trailer, and your theme, man, Rahul… dosti and a dead body with some laughs… killer combo. You will generate curiosity. But then again, to pull somebody off their couch to the cinemas, tough task dude, two weeks to go - but proud of you."
With only weeks to go before release, daCunha has the daunting challenge of drawing crowds in a competitive market, hoping that Pune Highway can find its own niche in the face of big-budget releases and the ever-present temptation of streaming platforms.
While the Indian cinema industry celebrates more than a hundred years since its first feature, Raja Harishchandra (May 3, 1913), Pune Highway remains a testament to the resilience of storytelling and the changing tastes of new generations.
Sources: Mid-day, Firstpost
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