Odia Film Baghuni Unveiled at Cannes, Marks Historic First for Odisha

Cannes: In a momentous occasion for Odia and Indian regional cinema, the first-look motion poster of Baghuni (Dance Like a Tiger) was officially unveiled at the 78th Cannes Film Festival in France. The unveiling took place at the Bharat Pavilion, hosted by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India, marking a historic cultural breakthrough as Baghuni becomes the first international co-production of its kind from Odisha to be presented at this prestigious global platform.

Directed and produced by internationally acclaimed filmmaker Jitendra Mishra, Baghuni is a joint venture between the National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC), UK-based Glocal Films (founded by Odisha-born producer Partha Panda), and Cinema4Good Pvt. Ltd.

The unveiling event on Wednesday drew the presence of several dignitaries from the global film industry, including celebrated filmmaker and IFFI Festival Director Shekhar Kapur, National Award-winning director Rima Das, Sreerag M, Officer on Special Duty (Films), Ministry of I&B, Gautam Bhanot, GM – Film Promotions & International Participation, NFDC, and Vineeta Mishra, Head of Programming, NFDC Film Bazaar, among others.

Odia superstar Sabyasachi Mishra headlines the film, which features a powerhouse team of national award-winning technicians including sound designer Subash Sahoo, production designer Sukant Panigrahy, and music director Prem Anand. The script has been penned by acclaimed writers Shankhajeet De, Dr. Sulagna Mohany, and Utpal Borpujari, while dialogues have been written by renowned filmmaker Susanta Mani.

Set to be filmed entirely across various locations in Odisha and London during September and October this year, Baghuni is a multilingual production that will feature Odia, Sambalpuri, Koshli, and Hindi languages.

Describing the film as “an inspiring story of resilience and unstoppable courage,” the filmmakers said the project aims to spotlight Odisha’s rich cultural heritage on the global stage and foster international recognition for regional stories and talent.

Jitendra Mishra, also the founder of Cinema4Good and a producer-distributor associated with over 50 international film projects, said, “Baghuni is not just a film—it’s a heartfelt tribute to the undying spirit of our people and culture.”

Prakash Magdum, Managing Director of NFDC, added, “We are proud to support Baghuni, a pioneering Indo-UK co-production that powerfully amplifies the voice of Odisha’s regional cinema. It reflects the depth of India’s diverse storytelling and the global potential of local narratives.”

With its Cannes debut, Baghuni sets a precedent for regional cinema from Odisha, paving the way for more stories rooted in indigenous culture to find their place on the world stage.