Tumbbad and Ship of Theseus cinematographer Pankaj Kumar is all prepped up to make his feature directorial debut with a tribal action drama christened Konyak, IIFA, 2024.
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.
The film, which is set in northeast India, was selected for the NFDC Screenwriters Lab 2024, part of the Film Bazaar, and will be produced through Kumar’s newly established Jiboom Studios.
Kumar said: “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.”
Ghosh shared that 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,” Ghosh added. (IANS)
