Actor-filmmaker Anshuman Jha is set to present a six-film slate produced under his banner, First Ray Films, at his debut at the upcoming 79th Cannes Film Festival.
The slate is set to feature films like Lakadbaggha 2, The Burning, Hari Om, and Bajrangi.
As per reports, speaking about the lineup, Anshuman emphasized that all six projects are rooted in what he “deeply believes” in , adding, “They all carry a social commentary. That’s very important to me as a filmmaker. And there’s no better platform than Cannes to announce ambition. Each film truly has its own journey.”
“Every story you tell has to be rooted in the culture you come from; only then will it feel truthful and resonate with audiences,” he shares. While the films are “deeply Indian in nature”, he adds, “They carry universal emotions. That’s what connects them to a global audience,” the 41-year-old added.
Talking about his production house, First Ray Films, Jha highlighted his focus on supporting independent voices.
“We want to give writers and directors the freedom to tell the stories they want to tell. That’s why we don’t do sanctioned stuff, we develop everything ourselves,” he says, adding that he is selective in how he approaches the market. “When I meet a distributor, I’m not going with all six films. I go with the ones that have a genuine possibility in that territory,” Jha said.
Anshuman is known for films like Lakadbaggha (2023) and Love Sex Aur Dhokha (2010).
According to the Variety, two films are scheduled for theatrical release in India this year, beginning with Harish Vyas’ Om Ka Hari, in which Jha stars alongside Raghubir Yadav, Soni Razdan, and Ayesha Kapur. The film is scheduled to release in June.
The 2027 lineup features Bajrangi, now in post-production under Parth Saurabh, and Bhadyaa, currently being shot by Pramod Parashar, with two more projects planned for 2028.
The festival opens May 12 with The Electric Kiss (La Venus électrique) by Pierre Salvadori. Singer-actress Barbra Streisand and filmmaker Peter Jackson will be honoured with honorary Palme d’Or awards on the opening day.