Jugnuma, internationally titled The Fable, is a spellbinding 2025 Hindi magical-realism drama directed by Raam Reddy, acclaimed for his debut film Thithi. Led by a powerful performance from Manoj Bajpayee, the film is set against the hauntingly beautiful backdrop of the 1980s Indian Himalayas, where Bajpayee portrays Dev, the patriarch of a sprawling fruit orchard estate. When mysterious fires begin ravaging the orchard, Dev’s desperate attempts to quell them lead to a profound unraveling of long-hidden family truths and a haunting confrontation with his own identity and legacy.
The supporting cast includes Deepak Dobriyal, Priyanka Bose, Tillotama Shome, Hiral Sidhu, and Awan Pookot, each lending emotional depth to this layered tale. The film boasts executive producers and presenters Guneet Monga Kapoor and Anurag Kashyap, who describe it as timeless, deeply humane, and magical in its storytelling.
Jugnuma has earned acclaim on the global film circuit, having premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival, and winning the Best Film Award at the Leeds International Film Festival, along with a Special Jury Prize at the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival. Shot entirely on analog film, the movie’s striking visual style enhances its atmospheric storytelling and adds to its timeless appeal.
Set for a theatrical release across India on 12 September 2025, distributed by Flip Films, Jugnuma is poised to be a sensory cinematic experience that will linger with audiences long after the credits roll.
