Exclusive | Pankaj Tripathi's Film With 'OMG 2' Director Amit Rai Titled 'Dharma'; Features International Crew

Amit Rai, the writer-director behind the 2023 hit OMG 2, is set to make his return with a new feature titled Dharma. Headlined by Pankaj Tripathi, the film is described as a deeply emotional, original story anchored in environmental themes and moral conviction, and features a high-profile international technical team.

Dharma, which recently wrapped filming in Bihar, also features acclaimed actors Pawan Malhotra, Geeta Agrawal, Rajesh Kumar, and several performers from the Bhojpuri film industry. However, the real revelation lies behind the scenes.

Hungarian cinematographer Mátyás (Mate) Erdély, best known for his work on the Oscar-nominated On Body and Soul, joins Rai to lend the film a distinct visual palette. American action and motion-capture specialist Isaac Hamon, whose credits include Avengers: Endgame, Avatar: The Way of Water and War for the Planet of the Apes, has choreographed action sequences.

Rai says Dharma was born from a moment in the Mahabharata that has long stayed with him. “The root of this story goes back to when Yudhishthira reached the gates of heaven. A dog had accompanied him and his family throughout their journey. When the gates opened, Yudhishthira refused to enter without the dog. It’s a simple tale, yet deeply symbolic—reflecting the balance between humans and nature, and how disturbing that balance causes larger consequences in the world.”

An exclusive image from the sets of 'Dharma'

The film, Rai explains, follows the parallel journeys of a kidnapped boy and a dog who protects him, as well as a boy on a desperate search for his abducted dog. “Both are driven by loyalty and love, following their Dharma,” he says.

“I never treated the dog as just an animal; in my writing, he was a full-fledged hero, performing like a human. Of course, I was fully aware that on set, the dog wouldn’t behave exactly as written. So, we brought in expert trainers and an international action director—someone who had worked on Planet of the Apes and Justice League," the filmmaker adds.

The involvement of Erdély and Hamon, Rai says, was vital to the film’s cinematic ambition. “The film needed to be visually grand and action-driven, so I focused on those two core elements. Their expertise added immense value and helped take the film to another level.”

In a time of formulaic storytelling and franchise fatigue, Rai hopes Dharma will offer something different. “At its heart, the film is rooted in honesty and storytelling—something that seems to be missing lately in cinema,” he says. “In a time when the industry is chasing sequels, remakes, and safe formulas, I wanted to return to the essence: a strong, original story and real characters. We’ve lost touch with that core. So I went back to the roots—to create something heartfelt, meaningful, and cinematic, driven not by trends, but by truth.”