‘Jugnuma’, directed by ‘Thithi’ fame Raam Reddy and headlined by Manoj Bajpayee, locks release date

Raam Reddy’s directorial Jugnuma, featuring Manoj Bajpayee in the lead role, is set to release in theatres on September 12. Described as “magical realism drama”, the film is presented by Guneet Monga Kapoor and Anurag Kashyap. The film’s international title is The Fable.

Set in the late 80s, it follows the story of “Dev (Bajpayee), who discovers mysteriously burnt trees in his sprawling estate of fruit orchards nestled in the Indian Himalayas. In spite of all efforts, more fires break out, leading him to see himself and his family for who they truly are,” according to a press release.

It also marks the second feature directorial for Reddy, whose first film, the Kannada village drama Thithi, went on to earn a National Award in the Best Feature Film in Kannada category.

The filmmaker said he is grateful that Jugnuma resonated with the global audience, following the film’s screening at festivals such as the Berlin International Film Festival and the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival.

“I feel grateful that it resonated with global audiences before coming home to India. To have cinematic visionaries like Anurag Kashyap and Guneet Monga join us as presenters is a huge honour, and having Flip Films to distribute it gives me immense joy. The film was designed to be a larger than life sensory experience and it was always my dream that its sense of scale should be experienced in theatres. I cannot wait to share that cinematic world with a pan-India audience on September 12,” he said in the statement.

Guneet called the film “a modern classic in the making.” “It unsettled me, comforted me, and reminded me of cinema’s deepest purpose. Raam Reddy is one of the most exciting voices in Indian cinema today, and with Manoj Bajpayee and an extraordinary ensemble cast bringing his vision to life, this film feels like a modern classic in the making,” she said.

ALSO READ: Manoj Bajpayee’s ‘The Fable’ wins best film award at Leeds International Film Festival

Kashyap said the film “feels timeless”. “I had loved Raam’s Thithi, which was so rooted and genuine, and with Jugnuma, he has created a film that feels timeless. The film is deeply humane yet magical in the way it unfolds. And at the centre of it, Manoj Bajpayee delivers a performance unlike anything we’ve seen before — restrained, enigmatic, and profoundly moving. It’s a film which I am extremely proud to present it to the Indian audience,” Kashyap added.

The film also stars Deepak Dobriyal, Priyanka Bose, and Tillotama Shome in pivotal roles. The dialogues have been penned by Varun Grover.