Indian cinematographer Pankaj Kumar (“Tumbbad,” “Ship of Theseus”) is set to make his feature directorial debut with “Konyak,” a tribal action drama set in northeast India. The project, was selected for the NFDC Screenwriters Lab 2024, part of the Film Bazaar, will be produced through Kumar’s newly established Jiboom Studios.
Written by Uddhav Ghosh, the film follows a young warrior named Thungpang who, guided by prophetic visions, must protect his community during a deadly conflict between headhunting tribes. The story explores themes of betrayal and honor as he confronts his former friend turned enemy, Sangba.
The project, which will be shot in Konyak Naga and Hindi languages, emerged from Ghosh’s travels through Nagaland. Kumar, also known for his work on films including “Brahmastra Part One: Shiva” and “Talvar,” will both direct and produce the film through his production banner focused on theatrical storytelling. Kumar, who shot Raj & DK’s Prime Video series “Farzi” and Netflix series “Guns & Gulaabs,” is currently in post-production on “Khauff,” a horror series directed by him for Prime Video.
Ghosh said: “The vision was always clear – to create an action epic that felt raw, unfiltered, and steeped in authenticity, drawing on the primal storytelling of films like ‘Fury Road’ and ‘Apocalypto.’ With Pankaj Kumar now on board as director, his visual mastery elevates this film into the cinematic spectacle it deserves to be. His excitement matches mine, as we craft a story that isn’t just about action but about identity and resilience that lives in everyday life.”
Kumar added: “The vision for ‘Konyak’ is to create something immersive and untamed, a film that lives and breathes on the big screen, where every frame tells a story of endurance and heritage. As a director, coming from a background in cinematography, this is the kind of project that lets me bring all those elements together. It’s exciting to collaborate with Uddhav on this – to take his compelling narrative and craft it into a grand visual experience that is as deeply rooted in the essence of its setting as it is driven by the pulse of adventure.”
Script editor Claire Dobbin, who mentored the project, describes it as “much more than an action movie. It is a compelling story of betrayal, courage and resilience and shines a light on a little-known, but unforgettable people – the Konyak.”
Marten Rabarts, head of IFFR Pro at International Film Festival Rotterdam, who also served as a lab mentor, notes: “Like many thoughtful filmmakers in all parts of the formerly colonized world Uddhav Ghosh is exploring the long-overshadowed stories of indigenous First Nations people and in collaboration with them is helping unearth intense and complex histories, a resistance to the British empire and profound connection to land and place which binds them together in love, war, blood and spirit.”
Film Bazaar (Nov. 20-24) is the project market component of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI, Nov. 20-28) in Goa.
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