Poster of ‘Papa Buka’ and Pa Ranjit

Director and producer Pa Ranjith has announced that he will be co-producing a film titled Papa Buka which will mark “the first cinematic collaboration between Papua New Guinea and India”. The filmmaker took to X to share the news along with the film’s poster.

Directed by Indian filmmaker Dr. Bijukumar Damodaran, the film stars Ritabari Chakraborty and Prakash Bare. According to Diversity, “The film will follow Indian historians Romila and Anand who travel to Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, to write a book about Indian soldiers who fought British and Australian forces against the Japanese during World War II in the country. They find Papa Buka, an 80-year-old war veteran who acts as a guide, taking them to remote jungle villages to meet his compatriots and record their memories of the war. The journey brings up some unexpected events.

Neelam Productions and Silicon Media from India are managing the film in association with Native Arts and Fashion Academy (NAFA) Productions in Papua New Guinea. Cathy Angeline Merun Syke, Pa Ranjith and Prakash will be producing the film and the execution will be managed by Parul Aggarwal and Aadhya Prasad.

Papa Buka Shooting will begin in Papua New Guinea in mid-July 2024. Director Damodaran, popularly known as Dr. Biju, is known for his award-winning works Veyilamarangal ,trees under the sun2019) and painting life (2018).