Anshuman Jha’s First Ray Films To Present 6-Film Slate At Marché du Film During Cannes Film Festival 2026

First Ray Films, led by actor-filmmaker Anshuman Jha, is entering its second decade with a six-film line-up scheduled between 2026 and 2028, which will be showcased at the Marché Du Film during the Cannes Film Festival 2026, signalling an expanded focus on international collaborations and theatrical storytelling across borders.

The announcement underlines a clear shift towards larger-scale, director-driven cinema that can speak to audiences in India and overseas, with First Ray Films using its presence at the Marché Du Film in May 2026 to introduce this slate and strengthen partnerships for both production and distribution.

First Ray Films film slate and Cannes Film Festival 2026 showcase

The new First Ray Films slate covers a wide range of genres, from personal dramas to action-led stories, yet holds on to one unifying idea, a strong creative identity driven by filmmakers, with a mix of domestic projects and international co-productions designed to travel to festivals and into cinemas worldwide.

Across three years, First Ray Films has laid out a clear calendar, with two films earmarked for 2026 theatrical release, two projects forming the 2027 slate, and another pair lined up for 2028, including a key international co-production that signals the company’s growing overseas ambition.

Year	Film	Director	Status / Notes
2026	Om Ka Hari	Harish Vyas	Theatrical release in June 2026
2026	Lakadbaggha 2: The Monkey Business	Anshuman Jha	Theatrical release in November 2026
2027	Bajrangi	Parth Saurabh	Shooting wrapped
2027	Bhadyaa	Pramod Parashar	In production
2028	But First, The Burning	Devashish Makhija	International co-production with ROH Films and Lamas Productions
2028	Dhoori	Rumana Molla	Part of 2028 slate

For 2026, First Ray Films has locked two theatrical outings, beginning with “Om Ka Hari” in June 2026, directed by Harish Vyas and featuring Anshuman Jha, Raghubir Yadav, Soni Razdan and Ayesha Kapur, followed by “Lakadbaggha 2: The Monkey Business” in November 2026, directed by Anshuman Jha and starring Anshuman Jha, Adil Hussain and Sarah Jane Dias.

The 2027 line-up from First Ray Films consists of “Bajrangi”, directed by Parth Saurabh, which has already completed shooting, and “Bhadyaa”, directed by Pramod Parashar, which is currently in production, while the 2028 plans feature Devashish Makhija’s “But First, The Burning”, made with ROH Films and Lamas Productions, alongside Rumana Molla’s “Dhoori”.

First Ray Films legacy, distribution reach and vision

First Ray Films began its journey in 2016 with Shashi Sudigala’s “mona_darling”, a social-media-age thriller that diverged from routine mainstream formulas, and over ten years the banner has steadily become known for supporting distinctive storytelling, working across theatrical and digital releases, blending festival-oriented content with market-minded strategies.

The distribution arm of First Ray Films has also played a central role, helping its projects secure marketing and distribution tie-ups that are considered substantial within India’s independent film space, with the most recent release, “Lord Curzon Ki Haveli”, presented by marketing company MAX and due to premiere on JioHotstar next month.

What continues to separate First Ray Films from many other outfits is its stated intent to tell stories that can challenge and provoke audiences while still staying rooted in cultural detail, with Anshuman Jha increasingly operating as both filmmaker and curator, taking creative risks in a landscape often dominated by scale and familiarity.

Speaking on the milestone, Anshuman Jha said, "⁠The first decade was about discovering our voice. The next decade is about amplifying it, backing stories that matter, filmmakers who take risks, and cinema that can travel across borders without losing its soul. We're not chasing trends, we're building a space where authenticity leads. At the heart of this is also the aim to create an ecosystem for young filmmakers—one that empowers and educates them on the importance of marketing and distribution so that great stories don't just get made, but truly reach audiences. Backing actors like Abhinav Jha and Samta Sudiksha, who bring honesty to their craft, is as important as backing the stories themselves."

This outlook, outlined by Anshuman Jha, reinforces the dual focus of First Ray Films on storytelling and infrastructure, stressing that understanding marketing and distribution is as vital as making films, and that nurturing talent such as Abhinav Jha and Samta Sudiksha sits alongside the company’s commitment to bold scripts.

Director Devashish Makhija, whose "But First, The Burning" anchors the studio's international ambitions, added, "What First Ray stands for in today's scene is rare—a producer who doesn't just pull out all stops to protect the filmmaker's voice, but constructs wings to push it higher and further. Something increasingly difficult to find. Our collaboration is about telling a story that is stubbornly rooted, yet globally resonant."

By placing “But First, The Burning” at the core of its 2028 slate, First Ray Films is underlining a plan to build on such collaborations, balancing stories that remain grounded in specific contexts while aiming for a strong presence at global festivals and in international markets.

Director Harish Vyas (Om Ka Hari) shared, "There's a certain fearlessness in how First Ray approaches storytelling. It's not about fitting into a mould, but about building something original. That trust empowers filmmakers to take creative leaps."

With its six-film roadmap, Cannes Film Festival 2026 presence and ongoing alliances with filmmakers in India and abroad, First Ray Films is entering its second decade with a defined strategy that combines director-led projects, cross-border partnerships and a growing distribution network to connect Indian stories with audiences across the world.