‘Bagha Bazari Dance of Tigers’: Odia Scribe Turns Filmmaker To Focus On Animal Trafficking

Bhubaneswar: At a time when a series of news stories on wild animal trafficking in Odisha and other parts of India are hitting the headlines, an Odia journalist has produced a film on trafficking.

“Bagha Bazari Dance of Tigers,” an Odia film, focuses on how a trafficking racket with international links is active in a forest area. The film has been produced by journalist Srutirekha Mishra, under the “She Odisha” banner. The story and screenplay have been written by a scribe, Mihir Ranjan Acharya, while Mihir and Devadutta have directed the film.

The plot revolves around Arindam, a crime reporter, who ventures into the ring of this racket and ends up becoming prey.  Arindam, along with his three friends JJ, Pranay, and Runi, go to a remote area to visit a teacher from childhood days. He remembers his teacher as a furious man like a tiger and notorious for his corporal punishment. After 30 years, the same teacher is on his deathbed, which symbolises the situation of the tiger in the jungle. Even his own son is not in good condition surviving as a security guard. Four friends meet the teacher and come to the nearest forest guest house to have lunch. Deer meat for lunch pushes Arindam to think about the wildlife trafficking racket. The same place where people are celebrating tiger dance in the village, is a turf for trophy hunters. His friend Runi also becomes prey to a serious crime that symbolises the attack of a tiger. The story moves with parallel plots all the way up to the climax.

Noted Odia cine-artists Pritiraj Satpathy, Hara Rath, and Chitta Ranjan have played the pivotal characters in this film, while debutant theatre artist Tilottama lays Runi. Similarly, Bulu Panda Jayant Santra, Shivani Khara, Devadutt, and Duryodhan, all active in theatre, appear in this film. Besides, Mahendra Patra, the Tiger Dance Troupe of Ganjam has shown its prowess in a dramatic twist.

The film has been shot in Badamba and Narasinghpur, both in Odisha, it has been claimed. This is the same place where three elephants were shot dead and ditched. The protagonist’s role is also loosely based on crime reporter Arindam Das who was prosecuted.

The film is scheduled for an April second-week release.