Private Project

**T H E P A R A L L E L** (S A M A N A N T A R)

A philosophical and supernatural anthology of four hard-hitting stories, each unique in its own way, but all intertwined with the common and universal philosophies of ‘LIFE’ and ‘KARMA’. It explores the response of nature to the bad KARMAs created by human beings. When lies, greed, desire, rage, selfishness, ego, etc. begin to drive our lives to such an extent that some of us become blind and cross all the bounds of conscience, ethics, and morality, an unknown power of nature intervenes mystically as an equaliser.

'SAMANANTAR' means 'the parallel,' and that is what this picture is about metaphorically. When our 'BAD KARMA' reaches its maximum due to our evil and immoral activities, the unknown force of the parallel realm begins to eventuate.

The film addresses major social concerns such as the "extreme psychological impact of unemployment," "insatiable greed and constant lies," "child abuse," and "behavioural irresponsibility as a result of extreme anger." It also targets the mindset and conduct of current generation in small towns and villages, where disregard for our elders is quite rampant.

The film offers a strong message to the contemporary and morally corrupt section of society that that sooner or later, but 'THERE IS NO ESCAPE FROM BAD KARMA'.

  • Niraj Kumar Mishra
    Director
    GANDHI: THE SILENT GUN (Short)
  • Niraj Kumar Mishra
    Writer
    BAAGHI 2, GANDHI: THE SILENT GUN
  • Niraj Kumar Mishra
    Producer
  • Mohumita Datta
    Co-Producer
  • Resul Pookutty
    Presenter
    Slumdog Millionaire
  • Archit Mishra
    Cinematographers
  • Pulkit Rathi
    Cinematographers
  • Afzal Shaikh
    Editor
  • Abhijeet Hegde Patil
    Music
  • Aroon Jyoti Sarmah
    Sound Designer
  • Rahul Borse
    VFX Supervision
  • Tanvir Kajlekar
    VFX Supervision
  • Kamall Hingorani
    VFX Supervision
  • Yogeen Thakkar
    VFX Supervision
  • Sadik Shaikh
    DI
  • NARENDRA KUMAR TUNTUN
    Key Cast
  • RATISH CHANDRA MISHRA
    Key Cast
  • ANURAG THAKUR
    Key Cast
  • ASHOK KUMAR VERMA
    Key Cast
  • SHASHWAT ANAND
    Key Cast
  • ABHISHEK BAJPAYEE
    Key Cast
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    सामानांतर
  • Project Type:
    Experimental, Feature
  • Genres:
    Mystery, Philosophical, Supernatural, Thriller
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 31 minutes 15 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    December 24, 2021
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • 69th National Film Awards (Govt. of India - Minstry of Information & Broadcasting), 2023
    New Delhi
    India
    Winner: Best Feature Film - Maithili
  • 111th Bihar Foundation Day (Govt. of Bihar - Ministry of Art, Culture & Youth), 2023
    Patna, Bihar
    India
    March 23, 2023
    Official Selection & Awarded
  • 12th Chicago South Asian Film Festival, 2021
    Chicago
    United States
    Official Selection
  • 5th Golden Jury Film Festival, 2023
    Mumbai
    India
    December 14, 2023
    Winner: Best Feature Film
  • 18th Terni Film Festival, 2022
    Terni
    Italy
    November 12, 2022
    Official Selection
  • 14th Cinema Rehiyon Film Festival (NCCA), 2022
    Davao, Taboan, Iloilo, Negros, Nabunturan
    Philippines
    Official Selection
  • 6th India Film Fest of Salento, 2022
    City of Tricase
    Italy
    Official Selection
  • 5th INTERNATIONAL FOLKLORE FILM FESTIVAL, 2022
    Thrissur, Kerala
    India
    Official Selection
  • 2nd Montañosa Film Festival, 2022
    Baguio
    Philippines
    March 24, 2022
    Official Screening
Director Biography - Niraj Kumar Mishra

Born and brought up in Bihar (India), a political science graduate who always wanted to join either sports or armed forces but ended up in the world of audio-visual storytelling.

Since couldn't afford to go film school, so learned everything while being on the job, by watching and analysing movies in spare time, and by reading books on technical aspects of filmmaking. However, hobbies like writing, photography, and telling impromptu stories to children have persisted from childhood.

An Independent Filmmaker, Writer, Director, Creative Director and Show-runner.

Have also written and directed award winning short films; ‘Gandhi: The Silent Gun’ is the most notable one.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Samanantar (The Parallel) is very close to my heart as it’s my ‘FIRST FEATURE FILM' as a Director and a Producer. This film has been produced independently, and with the savings while working on television and web shows, an honest try totally for the love and passion for filmmaking.

We shot the entire film in a record number of days in January, and under extreme conditions. The film has been shot in Bihar and around the India-Nepal border. Being on bordering locations, shoots were quite challenging as it was infested with smugglers and anti-social elements. We shot all the stories in real-time, mostly post 9pm, and as per local folklore some of our locations were haunted too.

We never had world-class equipment or luxury time-line or any backup; but we did our best to translate all the four stories on the screen seamlessly with all fresh faces. Shot entirely with a college pass-out crew, including the cinematographers. 95% of the actors have acted and faced the camera for the first time. Keeping the universal audience in mind, I wrote all the four stories very carefully without missing the social and regional milieu. It has all the ingredients of audio-visual storytelling, i.e., thrill and supernatural quotient, social issues and social message, never seen before visuals of this section of the world, quirky and emotional storytelling while keeping the life philosophies attached to it.

Slow-burn, curiosity builds up throughout the film, and by the time the last story ends, the audience would feel a different world around them. I strongly believe, this film has a universal language of different emotions and it’ll appeal to regional and global audiences.