Anshuman Jha-and-Ridhi Dogra-starrer Lakadbaggha, which received a standing ovation at its India premiere at the 28th Kolkata International Film Festival, is set to release worldwide on January 13, 2023, the makers announced on Thursday.

Also starring Milind Soman and Paresh Pahuja, Lakadbaggha is touted as India's first ever action film about an animal lover-tuned-vigilante. The film, which is inspired by events reported in Kolkata, deals with the illegal animal trade industry.

“Lakadbaggha is my love letter to dogs and I can't wait for the world to meet Arjun's character on January 13. He is ordinary and that's his super power. This is a universal film with an Indian soul set in Kolkata and the action is nothing like anything you have seen before,” said Anshuman.

According to Ridhi, Lakadbaggha is a special film which has thrilling action sequences and a strong message. “Akshara, my character is the grey, between the worlds of the protagonist and the antagonist. It is obviously special as it is my big screen debut. And I can't wait for the world to watch it in January 2023."

The director of the movie, Victor Mukherjee said, “At its core, Lakadbaghha is a movie about a person who goes beyond his capacity to unravel the truth and protect Indian stray dog breeds. I hope the movie turns out to be a good start to the year in the movie industry."

“The movie is a social commentary inspired by a few real events. Anshuman has always been experimenting with the characters he plays on screen, but this time he has taken it a notch higher and his transformation in this film will surprise everyone. Ridhi and Paresh, Milind and the entire cast have come out of their comfort zone for the film,” he added.

The film has its International Premiere at the HBO South Asian International Film Festival New York On December 28. Kecha Khamphakdee, the man behind the stunt sequences in Ong-Bak, has directed the action for the film.