In 2025, Amazon Prime Video released Pune Highway, a psychological thriller adapted from a critically acclaimed Indian play. The film drew attention on streaming platforms for its moody direction and strong performances. At the core of this adaptation is Amit Sadh, whose plays a character named Khandu grounds the narrative with understated intensity. His performance has prompted renewed interest in his career—a journey marked by discipline, persistence, and a dedication to emotionally honest storytelling.
This article explores the film Pune Highway, the thematic depth of its cinematic adaptation, and the performance at its core by Amit Sadh.
From Stage to Screen: The Story of Pune Highway
Originally written by Rahul da Cunha, Pune Highway debuted as a stage play in the early 2000s. A psychological drama set in a single room, it dealt with themes of friendship, trauma, and moral ambiguity. The entire play unfolded over one stormy night in a dingy motel room where three friends find themselves sheltering after a violent incident involving a fourth companion. The narrative's strength lay in its claustrophobic tension, layered character dynamics, and the slowly unravelling mystery of what had occurred prior to the events onstage.
The 2025 film adaptation, while staying faithful to the play's core, expands its world. Though much of the action still occurs in a seedy motel on a rain-lashed night, the cinematic version utilizes scale, camera movement, and visual atmosphere to heighten the psychological unease. The result is a film that feels both intimate and cinematic, drawing viewers into a setting where every silence and shadow holds meaning.
In this adaptation, Amit Sadh plays Khandu—a character defined by a complex mixture of guilt, fear, and suppressed emotion. His portrayal has been noted for its subtlety. Rather than relying on explanatory dialogue, Sadh conveys the character’s inner conflict through intensity—stillness, restrained body language, and nuanced expressions.
Amit Sadh: The Actor Behind the Performance
Television and Reality Shows
Sadh began his professional acting career in Indian television in the early 2000s. His breakout role came with the youth-oriented series Kyun Hota Hai Pyarrr (2002), where he played Aditya. Other television credits include Kkoi Dil Mein Hai, Kohinoor, and Guns & Roses. During this period, he also gained public visibility by participating in early seasons of Bigg Boss and Nach Baliye. These appearances established him as a familiar face on Indian screens, though Sadh would later reflect on this period as a steppingstone towards more serious work.
Transition to Film
Amit Sadh made his mark with with a memorable performance in Kai Po Che! (2013) that earned him critical recognition. Based on Chetan Bhagat’s novel The 3 Mistakes of My Life, the film depicted the complex relationships between three friends amid socio-political unrest in Gujarat. Sadh played Omkar Shastri (Omi), a character whose arc transitions from youthful naivety to ideological extremism and eventual tragedy. His performance was noted for its emotional honesty and depth, establishing him as an actor capable of portraying morally complex roles.
In subsequent years, Sadh appeared in a wide range of films. He played a supporting role in Sultan (2016), a commercial blockbuster starring Salman Khan, where he portrayed a young wrestling coach. He also featured in Gold (2018), a sports period drama; Sarkar 3 (2017), a political thriller; and Shakuntala Devi (2020), a biopic about the mathematician. Other works include Running Shaadi (2017), Barot House (2019), Super 30 (2019), Operation Parindey (2020), and Sukhee (2023).
Digital Platform Success
Sadh found renewed acclaim in the digital streaming space through his role as Inspector Kabir Sawant in the Breathe series on Amazon Prime Video. Spanning three seasons (2018, 2020, and 2022), the series blended psychological thriller elements with character-driven drama. Kabir Sawant is a brooding, deeply scarred law enforcement officer whose personal history significantly influences his professional decisions. Sadh’s portrayal earned him the Filmfare OTT Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.
He followed this with roles in other digital originals: Avrodh: The Siege Within (2020), where he played Major Videep Singh; Jeet Ki Zid (2021), a biographical drama on a Kargil war veteran; Duranga (2022–23), a crime-thriller; and MTV Dark Scroll (2024), a paranormal series where he served as host.
Performance in Pune Highway: A Return to Chamber Drama
Sadh’s performance in Pune Highway marks a return to the intimate, emotionally charged drama that defined his earlier work in Kai Po Che! - though with a greater restraint and control. As Khandu, he brings depth to a character whose trauma is not worn on the surface but resides in quiet gestures and silences.
Critics have described his performance as one of “unspoken tension”— a character says little but communicates a great deal. There’s a heaviness in the way he occupies space, reflecting an internal conflict that remains barely controlled. Whether through prolonged eye contact, averted glances, or pregnant pauses, Sadh’s Khandu commands attention through presence.
The success of Pune Highway also lies in its refusal to over-explain. Much like its stage predecessor, the film allows characters to exist in moral ambiguity, trusting the audience to draw their own conclusions. This dependence on subtext provides space for actors like Amit Sadh to excel. It allows for interpretive performance, and in Pune Highway, that interpretive space is filled with Sadh’s stillness—an approach critics have described as "a storm beneath calm waters."
Personal Philosophy and Interests
Sadh has often stated that acting is both a profession and a form of therapy for him. He has spoken openly about earlier struggles with mental health and substance abuse, crediting his work for helping him navigate those problems. He is known for immersing himself fully in his roles, preparing not just through rehearsal but by studying human behaviour and psychology.
Outside of acting, Sadh is an motorcycle enthusiast. He founded a movement titled Motorcycles Saved My Life under his banner Gully Gladiators Productions, using it as both a metaphor and platform for mental well-being and personal freedom. He is also an environmental advocate, celebrating his birthday on World Environment Day to promote sustainable living. His social commitments include serving as a youth ambassador for the STAIRS Foundation, which promotes grassroots sports for underprivileged youth.
Conclusion
With Pune Highway, Amit Sadh has added another compelling performance to an diverse career. The film’s success reflects the enduring appeal of well-crafted psychological thrillers and the importance of actors who understand emotional restraint. In an industry often defined by spectacle, Pune Highway serves as a reminder of the impact of intimate storytelling—and of performers like Sadh, whose strength lies in saying little, and revealing much.
As Sadh continues to explore varied roles across media, he represents a generation of Indian actors who prioritize craft over celebrity. His journey—from television and reality shows to complex roles in cinema and streaming—reflects a career built on sustained, intentional growth. And with Pune Highway, he has once again shown that in the right context, a glance can carry the weight of a monologue.
