Jugnuma: The Fable (2025) Review!!

Synopsis – After discovering burned trees in his orchards, a wealthy landowner grows suspicious of his workers and nomads passing through his vast estate.

My Take – Following its dream festival run across the globe, which includes a historic Best Film win at the 38th Leeds International Film Festival, a Special Jury Award win at the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2024, and a world premiere at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival, writer-director Raam Reddy‘s sophomore feature finally made it to Indian cinemas five days ago, and as a viewer who went in blind, the experience turned out to probably the most enigmatic, complex and mysterious Indian film I’ve seen in quite a while.

Described as magical realism drama and presented by Guneet Monga Kapoor and Anurag Kashyap, this one is a rare Hindi film that confidently amalgamates genres ranging from folklore, paranoid thriller to family drama, all the while diving deep into social, cultural and ecological commentaries. The kind of dream feature that works perfectly as a mesmerizing genre piece.

Yes, it is completely anti-mainstream and experimental in nature, making for one heady concoction, but the fascinating mystery, with a touch of fantasy, at the center of the piece gives the narrative a certain edge. And backed by some stellar performances and a haunting atmosphere, it becomes reminiscent of a soothing and suspenseful bedtime story we will remember for a long time.

Without a doubt, the open-ended climax will invite various interpretations and is bound to spark conversations among film buffs.

Set in 1989 on Teen Pahad, a fictional hill station, the story follows Dev (Manoj Bajpayee), the sole owner of a sprawling 5000-acre estate, where apples, apricots, peaches, plums are grown and exported. The estate was bequeathed to Dev by his grandfather, who was awarded this for his proximity to the British rulers. Residing along with him in his hill house are his wife Nandini (Priyanka Bose), and their two children, teenage daughter Vanya (Hiral Sidhu), who has just returned from her hostel, and a pre-adolescent son, Juju (Ahwan Pookot).

But Dev is anything but normal as each morning, he steps into his workshop, straps on a massive pair of handcrafted wings, and casually heads to a nearby cliff—where he takes flight like a bird. And as Dev soars above the orchards during his frequent flights, he entrusts the day-to-day operations of the lush estate to his trusted manager Manoj (Deepak Dobriyal), who oversees the workers and assigns tasks. With no phones, television, or internet, the family of four embraces a slower, more intimate rhythm of life.

Their evenings are spent hosting friends for intimate dinners, singing classical songs, lying under the open sky to stargaze, chasing fireflies, and listening to the whispers of the wind and mountains around them. However, their days of serenity are blotted when one day, during his morning routine of walking through the orchards, Dev finds a charred tree one day.

Though he doesn’t think much of it at first, only to find a grove charred in the same manner a few days later. It’s only after the second incident that he starts to become unnerved by it, and starts to investigate the matter, and hears all kinds of lore about how this might be nature’s payback for using pesticides for their crops.

Shot in 16mm, presumably to bring a grainy feel to the visual given that it is set in the 80s, Sunil Borkar’s cinematography is pure magic, capturing the beauty and mystery of the hills. A man soaring above the clouds with his wooden wings, the wind rustling underneath. Or the apocalyptic visuals of fire erupting out of ground, through the trees and shooting straight into the sky. The sound design and VFX are equally accomplished. Remarkably, the flying never feels absurd or out of place, which is a rare feat for a Hindi film.

From there on the film goes on full whodunit, while exploring deeper themes. It critiques the colonial hangover of the landed gentry, suggesting that generational wealth often remains disconnected from India’s fabric. It advocates for returning forests to local communities, who are better suited to nurture them.

The seeds of distrust between Dev and his estate workers are sown cautiously and gradually. It takes a few incidents to chip away at Dev’s niceties, revealing his cruel side. In two of the coldest scenes, we see Dev sitting inside his car as police officials carelessly round up his employees for the estate fires, after they spent a whole night trying to put it out. In another scene, Dev tells Manoj to take a vacation, implying he has lost his faith in him as well. There are even a few horse nomads passing through the estate, who also become the unintended victims of the xenophobia of the villagers after being rounded up by corrupt police officials.

Themes of conservatism and environmental exploitation intertwine with mountain mysticism, crafting a slow-burning, evocative tale. At its heart, director Reddy’s fantasy mystery is a tender love letter to the mountains and the unhurried life of the past. Unlike many independent films, his storytelling never succumbs to self-indulgence. It’s a slow burn, sure, but keeps you hooked as Dev navigates the complexities of an orchard in crisis, and the meaning of ownership.

Personally, I would have liked the film to be involved in the central mystery more and through it explore the themes and not the other way round. There are gaps in the film, which are often lazily filled with mystical explanations. Nonetheless, the assured direction soldiers the film along as it revises the tragic lore of the mountains with its unexpected climax.

Performance wise, Manoj Bajpayee is excellent as always, bringing a certain warmth even to his hostility and doubt. Deepak Dobriyal is natural and understated as expected. Priyanka Bose lights up the screen with her presence. Tillotama Shome shines in a small but memorable role, while Hiral Sidhu captures the innocence and turmoil of adolescence in her coming-of-age arc. On the whole, ‘Jugnuma‘ is a fantasy drama anchored by its mesmerizing storytelling and stellar performances.