Turning director with Jaagar, Mirzapur actor Priyanshu Painyuli on how the film is personal as it is set in his home state Uttarakhand
Priyanshu Painyuli
The idea of directing always lurked around in Priyanshu Painyuli’s mind. The actor, who shone in Bhavesh Joshi Superhero (2018) and went on to feature in Extraction (2020), Pippa (2023), and Mirzapur, has now stepped behind the camera for Jaagar. It’s not surprising that he has set his maiden directorial venture in Uttarakhand, his home state that shaped him.
“Uttarakhand is where I come from, and so, its mountains, stories, and traditions live within me. Jaagar is a film I’ve carried in my heart for years. I knew that if I ever made the move to directing a feature, it had to be with something this personal and rooted,” shares Painyuli.
Not many know that the actor trained in filmmaking in Bengaluru. With Jaagar, he tells the story of Deepti who travels to Uttarakhand to film the ancient ritual of Jaagar Puja. What begins as her attempt to document a sacred tradition soon transforms into a spiritual awakening. Deepti’s journey of self-realisation intersects with a local woman Geeta, who rises above the trauma of an abusive marriage. “Jaagar is a film born out of love, faith, and relentless commitment,” adds Painyuli, who shot the Sarika Singh-starrer in the Garhwal region between February and June. “It’s even more special because it marks the first production from our own company, a dream Vandana [Joshi, actor and wife] and I built together.”
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