A journey along the Mangaluru-Goa highway takes a mysterious turn in the NH-66 teaser. Directed and produced by TR Manjunath, the film stars Pramod Shetty, Shruthi Hariharan, and Rajesh Nataranga in lead roles. With the tagline ‘One highway, many secrets’, the teaser hints at a thriller built around the three characters and raises curiosity about their stories.
Speaking about the film, Manjunath said, “The film is about a journey. Pramod Shetty agreed to be part of it first. Later, while I was walking in a park in Girinagar, I narrated the story to Rajesh Nataranga, and he agreed to come on board. When we were looking for the female lead, I spoke to Shruthi Hariharan over Google Meet, and she came on board."
The entire film was shot on the roads, with the team covering around 650 kilometres. The shoot took place in Mangaluru, Goa, Kundapura, Mumbai and other locations. Manjunath said the team followed the shooting plan they had worked out in advance and thanked the actors for their support.
Describing NH-66 as a thriller and a family entertainer, the director expressed confidence that the film would appeal to audiences.
Rajesh Nataranga said he was happy with his role. “You don't have to call it support. We, actors, are also waiting for good roles, and there is a certain self-interest in choosing them. Once we agree to a film, it is our duty to give it our best,” he said.
Pramod Shetty, who said the team rallied behind the director when things didn't go exactly as planned, also spoke about a change of pace in NH-66. “I was tired of wearing police uniforms in my films. Here, I get to wear white clothes."
With music by Swaminathan and cinematography by Suneeth Halageri, the film has editing by Ujwal Chandra.