Highway (2022) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Highway unfolds across multiple locations in South India, beginning in Hyderabad's urban environment before transitioning to the roads connecting Bangalore and Mangalore. The story also ventures into quiet rural areas and a dense forest where the climax takes place. A pivotal roadside dhaba serves as a key sanctuary during the journey.

• highway setting
• Hyderabad
• Bangalore
• Mangalore
• Indian thriller

The film is set in present-day contemporary India, reflecting modern urban life and current technology. The narrative follows a real-world pace across cities, highways, and small towns, grounding the thriller in familiar, relatable surroundings. This modern setting allows the tension to stem from realistic threats and rapid communication.

• present day
• contemporary India
• modern thriller

Highway explores three central themes: pursuit (the investigation to catch a serial killer), love under threat (the romantic relationship between Vishnu and Tulasi amid danger), and nature's justice (the climax involving a tiger attacking the killer). These themes intersect to create a story about determination, hope, and the intervention of natural forces when human systems fail.

• themes
• pursuit
• love
• nature justice
• thriller themes

Vishnu is a photographer from Hyderabad portrayed by Anand Deverakonda. He forms a romantic bond with Tulasi and grapples with guilt after leaving her momentarily. Bold and protective, he races against time to rescue her when the threat from the serial killer resurfaces, driving much of the action.

• Vishnu
• Anand Deverakonda
• photographer
• protagonist

Tulasi is a young village girl working at a dairy, portrayed by Manasa Radhakrishnan. She seeks to escape an abusive boss and reunite with her father. Throughout the film, her resilience and trust are tested as she becomes the target of the serial killer, while also developing a hopeful connection with Vishnu.

• Tulasi
• Manasa Radhakrishnan
• village girl
• dairy worker

D (also known as Das) is the serial killer in Highway, portrayed by Abhishek Banerjee. Originally an ambulance driver, he takes pleasure in killing and is methodical and chilling in his approach. He manipulates trust to abduct victims, targeting vulnerable women, and his twisted backstory fuels his thrill of killing.

• D
• Das
• serial killer
• antagonist
• Abhishek Banerjee

Asha Bharath, played by Saiyami Kher, is an enthusiastic investigator pursuing the serial killer D. She decodes clues and traces witness accounts to locate the killer, collaborating with Vishnu to close in on D. Her determination keeps the investigation moving forward despite facing danger herself.

• Asha
• Saiyami Kher
• investigator
• police
• detective

The forest serves as the climax location where nature intervenes dramatically. In the final showdown, a tiger kills the killer, delivering a brutal form of natural justice. This contrasts sharply with the urban crime earlier in the film, suggesting that nature can step in when human systems fail to protect the innocent.

Foreshadowing: Early references to the dense forest hint at the wild, unpredictable terrain where danger ultimately unfolds.

• forest
• tiger
• climax
• nature
• justice

Highway interweaves a tense serial killer investigation with a budding romantic relationship between Vishnu and Tulasi. Their connection provides emotional hope amid constant danger, creating a notable contrast against the dark, violent story. This balance allows the film to maintain suspense while offering emotional relief through the protagonists' relationship.

• romance
• thriller
• love story
• balance
• emotional

The tiger in Highway represents primal danger and unexpected salvation. In the climax, the tiger attacks and kills the serial killer, serving as an agent of natural justice. This element underscores the film's theme of fate and the unpredictability of the wild, suggesting that nature intervenes when human justice fails.

• tiger
• symbolism
• nature
• justice
• climax

The highway setting drives the thriller atmosphere by creating constant movement and vulnerability. Characters are exposed and isolated while traveling between cities, making them easy targets for the killer. The transition from urban Hyderabad to remote roads and forests heightens the sense of escalating danger.

• highway
• roads
• journey
• vulnerability
• chase

Highway maintains a primarily tense and stressful tone, driven by the constant threat of a serial killer and high-stakes chase sequences. While the subject matter is heavy with disturbing themes of predation and violence, the hopeful romance between Vishnu and Tulasi provides emotional relief. Despite the dark content, the film concludes with a happy ending where the protagonists survive and reunite.

• tone
• mood
• thriller
• tension
• emotional journey