Photo Courtesy: nenow
Agartala: The Kokborok-language thriller Khaani is heading to the Tribal Frames Manipur 2026 festival. Produced by 18 Hills Films, the 135-minute feature marks a milestone for cinema from Tripura. Director Ploto Debbarma chose a gripping narrative set in the fictional village of Khumpuimura. A rookie police officer arrives in town, only to find dismembered body parts scattered across the area. The killer arranges these remains to mimic the iconography of the Tripuri deity Baba Garia.
Five officers lead the hunt for the killer. The investigation peels back layers of local secrets. The film weaves together suspense, comedy, and dark social commentary. Debbarma uses the story to probe violence against women and the complex nature of human relationships. His debut feature follows his earlier work on short films like Jiboner Prarthona and Graveyard of Dreams.
Festival director Oinam Doren sees the film as a successor to Fr. Joseph Pulinthanath’s award-winning 2008 film, Yarwng. He praised the modern approach of the new project. "Eighteen years later, Ploto Debbarma’s Khaani carries that legacy forward in a completely new form. It is a crime thriller rooted in Tripura, made with great passion and independence," Doren said.
The film hit commercial screens in Tripura on October 30, 2026. It broke a decade-long drought for Kokborok-language releases in state theatres. Before this, the movie appeared at the 31st Kolkata International Film Festival and the first International Film Festival of Jammu and Kashmir.
Debbarma, who holds a medical degree, drew on childhood folktales from his grandmother to build the screenplay. He worked on the script for six months to capture authentic cultural nuances. The cast features Ruhi Debbarma, Madhusudan Debbarma, Pohar Jamatia, Ajoy Tripura, and Hemchandra Tripura. Technical work was handled by Adwaita Chakma, while Halog Jamatia provided the musical score.
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