Highway Movie Review: Anand Deverakonda’s first film, Dorasani, was a flop, but his second, Middle-Class Melodies, which was published only online, was a smashing hit. Since the actor’s previous film, Pushpaka Vimanam, bombed in theatres but did well on the OTT platform, this decision to release his next picture, Highway, only online via digital platforms is plausible.
Starting today, you can watch Highway on the Aha OTT platform, so let’s take a look at it and see if it’s worth your time.
Story
A photographer by trade embarks on a road trip and, along the way, finds love. In the meantime, a psychopath is on the lookout for 5 ladies and leaving no traces for the police. The rest of the plot involves the relationship between the killers and the photographer.
Cast & Crew
Besides the two leads (Anand Deverakonda and Manasa Radhakrishnan), the film also features notable performances by Abhishek Banerjee, Saiyami Kher, John Vijay, Reshma Pasupuleti, and Sathya. KV Guhan wrote and directed the film, and Venkat Talari oversaw production. The film’s score was written by Simon K. King, and KV Guhan shot all of the footage himself. Thammiraju is the movie’s editor.
| Movie Name | Highway |
|---|---|
| Director | KV Guhan |
| Music Director | Simon K King |
| Producer | Venkat Talari |
| Genre | Romance, Drama, Thriller |
| Cast | Anand Deverakonda, Manasa Radhakrishnan, Abhishek Banerjee, Saiyami Kher, John Vijay, Reshma Pasupuleti, Sathya |
| Editor | Thammiraju |
Movie Verdict
The plot of Highway gets interesting at times, but the film’s overall execution will leave you baffled. The film’s narrator and storyline both seem incredibly nave. Quite a few of the film’s sequences appear to be quite dull and lifeless. The director has resorted to a tired plot device to convey a standard thriller. The film’s climax is equally unbelievable and formulaic.
As an actor, Anand Deverakonda has a lot of room for growth. In numerous situations where his performance is essential, he appears emotionless. To my eyes, Saiyami Kher holds her own as the investigative officer. Though we have seen him in similar roles in Hindi, Abhishek Banerjee is the only actor in the film who impresses with his performance. Satya tries to inject much-needed comic relief, and the rest of the cast does a fine job.
The film holds up technically. The film’s atmosphere is perfectly set by Simon K. King’s score. Even though the film has several lovely potential locales, the cinematography by KV Guhan only looks so-so. Like his previous film, “WWW,” KV Guhan attempted a thriller with this one, but the audience was unimpressed.
At the end of the day, Highway has some great moments and manages to keep you interested throughout.
Rating: 3/5
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