A new Odia film titled ‘Mo Bhai Jagannath’ has officially begun its cinematic journey with a special mahurat puja in Puri, bringing together a strong ensemble cast and an experienced creative and technical team. The film, which will be made under the Filmwalla banner, is based on a traditional lokakatha (folk tale) associated with Puri, a theme that connects the story with the rich cultural, spiritual and folklore traditions surrounding the holy city of Lord Jagannath.
The mahurat puja was held on August 28, 2026, with ceremonies taking place in the sacred surroundings of Sri Jagannath Temple, Puri, as well as at Maa Mausima (Ardhasini) Temple in Puri. The film team has announced that the shooting of ‘Mo Bhai Jagannath’ is scheduled to begin in the first week of October 2026.
A film rooted in the folklore of Puri
The biggest point of interest surrounding ‘Mo Bhai Jagannath’ is its story. According to the film’s promotional material, the story is based on Lokakatha, or a traditional folk tale. The project aims to bring a story associated with the people and cultural memory of Puri to the modern screen. The poster released for the film also prominently identifies the story as ‘Lokakatha’, while featuring imagery associated with Puri and Lord Jagannath.
Rather than revealing the complete storyline at the beginning, the makers appear to be keeping details of the central narrative under wraps. This leaves considerable curiosity about exactly which traditional Puri folk tale has been adapted for the film and how it will be presented through a contemporary cinematic narrative. Puri has a particularly rich tradition of stories, legends, beliefs and oral traditions connected with Lord Jagannath and the city’s cultural history. Turning such a folk narrative into a feature film can offer filmmakers an opportunity to preserve and reinterpret a part of that cultural storytelling tradition for a new generation.
Mahurat puja held in the sacred city of Puri
The choice of Puri for the film’s mahurat is particularly significant. Since the film’s story is rooted in the folklore of Puri and carries ‘Jagannath’ in its title, beginning the project in the holy city gives the production a strong cultural connection from the very beginning.
Photographs from the mahurat show members of the cast and creative team gathered outside the decorated entrance of the Sri Jagannath Temple, holding commemorative plaques associated with the new film. The team also visited Maa Mausima/Ardhasini Temple, another important religious and cultural location in Puri, for the auspicious beginning of the project.
The mahurat therefore became more than simply the formal beginning of a film production. It also reflected the cultural atmosphere in which the film’s story is being developed.
Shooting to begin in the first week of October
Following the mahurat ceremony, the production is now moving toward its next major phase. According to the makers, principal shooting for ‘Mo Bhai Jagannath’ will begin in the first week of October 2026.
The announcement gives the project a clear production timeline following its August mahurat. More details about the shooting locations, schedule and other production aspects are expected to emerge as filming gets underway.
With Puri and its folklore forming the foundation of the story, audiences will also be interested to see how the makers translate the traditional elements into the visual language of contemporary Odia cinema.
Filmwalla banner to present ‘Mo Bhai Jagannath’
‘Mo Bhai Jagannath’ will be produced under the Filmwalla banner. The film’s official promotional poster features the Filmwalla branding along with imagery of the Sri Jagannath Temple and Lord Jagannath, immediately establishing the cultural setting associated with the project.
The visual design of the first poster also combines traditional imagery with a cinematic presentation, giving viewers an early indication of the world that the film intends to explore.
Chinmayee Badu writes the screenplay
The screenplay of ‘Mo Bhai Jagannath’ is by Chinmayee Badu, while Shyama Prasad Mishra is handling the dialogues and direction. These credits are also mentioned in the film’s promotional material. Adapting a folk tale into a feature film can be challenging because the original oral tradition may have multiple versions, interpretations and layers of local belief. The screenplay therefore becomes particularly important in shaping the narrative into a coherent cinematic story while retaining the flavour of its traditional roots. The makers will now have the task of bringing that balance between folklore and contemporary filmmaking to the screen.
Sailendra Mishra (Babi) and Arabinda Jena as Creative Directors
The creative direction of the project is being handled by Sailendra Mishra (Babi) and Arabinda Jena.
Their names are listed as Creative Directors in the film’s promotional material. For a story rooted in Puri’s folklore, the creative direction can play an important role in determining how the cultural elements, locations, characters and atmosphere are presented visually.
The project brings together traditional subject matter with a contemporary filmmaking approach, making the creative treatment one of the aspects to watch as production progresses.
Dr. Badri Mishra joins as lyricist
The film’s songs will feature lyrics by Dr. Badri Mishra, who is also associated with the Odia film ‘Ajira Rebati’.
The official promotional material identifies Dr. Badri Mishra as the lyricist of ‘Mo Bhai Jagannath’. Given the film’s connection with Puri, Lord Jagannath and local folklore, the songs could become an important part of establishing the film’s cultural atmosphere.
Music by Bipin Barik and Kumar Pritam
The music of the film will be composed by Bipin Barik and Kumar Pritam. Their names are listed under the music credits in the promotional material. The combination of a folklore-based story and a musical score rooted in the cultural setting could give the film a distinctive soundscape. Whether the soundtrack will lean more towards traditional Odia musical influences, devotional elements or contemporary film music is something audiences will discover as the project moves closer to its release.
Falgu Satapathy behind the camera
Falgu Satapathy (BPFTIO) is handling the film’s cinematography/camera work. His name is mentioned in the film’s promotional material under the camera/visual production credits. The cinematography could be one of the major visual attractions of the film, particularly if the production captures the atmosphere of Puri, its traditional architecture, streets, temples and surrounding cultural landscape.
A story connected to Puri’s folklore offers plenty of opportunities for strong visual storytelling, and the locations could become an important part of the film’s overall identity.
A strong ensemble cast
‘Mo Bhai Jagannath’ brings together several familiar names from the Odia entertainment industry. The announced cast includes:
- Asrumochan Mohanty
- Pushpa Panda
- Choudhury Bikash Das
- Sukant Rath
- Gopabandhu Pratihari
- Sameer Satapathy
- Adeitaa Panigrahi
- Pradeep Debata
- Bijayinee Mishra
- Aryan Mishra
- Gouri Ranjan Barik
- Shambhunath Mahalik
- and others
The cast list is also featured in the film’s promotional material. With such an ensemble cast, the film appears to be designed around a story involving multiple important characters rather than being built solely around one central performer.
However, the makers have not yet publicly revealed the individual character details for the announced actors, making the eventual character announcements another area of interest for audiences.
Dr. Biswanath Mishra associated with the creative team
Dr. Biswanath Mishra, also identified as Babuna in the promotional material, is associated with the film’s creative side. The presence of multiple creative professionals suggests that the production is placing considerable emphasis on developing the film’s visual and thematic identity around its folklore-based subject.
Why the Puri lokakatha angle makes the film interesting
Odia cinema has a long relationship with stories drawn from Odisha’s mythology, folklore, literature and cultural traditions. Puri, in particular, has remained a rich source of storytelling because of its centuries-old association with Lord Jagannath and the traditions that have developed around the Jagannath culture. The announced concept of ‘Mo Bhai Jagannath’ is therefore interesting because the makers are specifically identifying a Puri lokakatha as the basis of the story.
The challenge and potentially the strength of the film will be how successfully that traditional story can be transformed into a modern cinematic experience. If the filmmakers are able to retain the emotional and cultural character of the original folk tradition while creating a strong screenplay and engaging characters, the film could offer audiences something different from a conventional contemporary Odia movie.
The title ‘Mo Bhai Jagannath’
The title ‘Mo Bhai Jagannath’, meaning ‘My Brother Jagannath’, immediately suggests a personal and emotional relationship with Lord Jagannath. At this stage, however, the makers have not revealed the complete meaning behind the title or exactly how it connects with the central story.
That connection is likely to become clearer once the screenplay details, character information and eventually the trailer or other promotional material are released. It is also worth noting that ‘Mo Bhai Jagannath’ was previously used as the title of an older Odia film from 1995, so the 2026 project should be understood as a new film production under the Filmwalla banner rather than being treated as the same movie.
What to expect next
With the mahurat ceremony now completed, the immediate next step for the production is the beginning of filming. Shooting is scheduled to start in the first week of October 2026. As production begins, audiences can expect more information about the film’s shooting locations, character appearances, songs, posters, first-look material and eventually its trailer and release plans.
The film’s connection with Puri’s traditional folklore also creates an opportunity for the makers to showcase aspects of Odisha’s cultural heritage through a contemporary feature-film format.
A new journey for Odia cinema
‘Mo Bhai Jagannath’ has started its journey at a location that is central to its own subject; the holy city of Puri.
With its story based on a traditional Puri lokakatha, a cast featuring several established Odia performers, an experienced creative team and production under the Filmwalla banner, the project has already generated curiosity among those following new Odia films.
The mahurat at the Sri Jagannath Temple and Maa Mausima/Ardhasini Temple has now marked the beginning. With shooting set to commence in the first week of October 2026, the project will soon move from its ceremonial beginning into the actual filmmaking process. The biggest question now is how the makers will interpret the traditional Puri folk story for today’s audience and what kind of cinematic world they will create around the name ‘Mo Bhai Jagannath’.
For Odisha’s audience, particularly those interested in Jagannath culture, Puri’s traditions and Odia cinema, this is certainly a film to keep an eye on.
