Bollywood star and ardent animal lover John Abraham has been brought on board to launch “Lakadbaggha: The Prologue”, a comic book adaptation of the 2023 vigilante action film “Lakadbaggha”, starring Anshuman Jha.
The comic book will be launched in Mumbai on May 26 in the presence of the creators, the special cast of the franchise including Ridhi Dogra. Om Books International & First Ray Films announced the launch of the graphic novel written by acclaimed actor-filmmaker Anshuman Jha and illustrated by American Comic book artist Brittain Peck.
Anshuman said: "I grew up as a kid in Allahabad reading Chacha Choudhary, Nagraj & Tintin. I was also blessed to have been exposed to animals & nature - with my heart always deeply rooting for them.
I always dreamt of a hero who would fight for the voiceless not just on screen, but off the pages too.” He said that “Lakadbaggha: The Prologue” is the beginning of that dream being realized. “And now, I dream bigger to build on this animal lover vigilante universe that fiercely protects the planet.
If you harm animals or nature, Arjun Bakshi is coming for you in comics, in cinema, in spirit.” Brittain Peck added: "I'm honored and thrilled to be partnering with Anshuman to bring Arjun Bakshi to the pages of a comic book based on a film I deeply admire.
Anshuman is an inspiring creative mind to work with, and I can't thank him enough for his trust on this passion project. “When I was a kid, one of my favorite places to be was Acme Comics, a comic book shop right at the edge of where my parents would allow me to ride my bike.
I spent hours combing through any comics that I can find, always looking for the types of characters and stories I could imagine myself being like.” “Arjun Bakshi's story and passion for protecting those less fortunate is one that I wish I had found when I was a kid, which makes me all the more excited to create Arjun as a comic hero for kids to read today," Peck added.
Talking about the film, “Lakadbaggha” is directed by Victor Mukherjee. It stars Anshuman Jha, Riddhi Dogra, Paresh Pahuja and Milind Soman. Arjun Bakshi, a martial arts trainer and animal lover, becomes a vigilante after his dog Shanku goes missing.
During the hunt, Arjun comes across an Indian black-striped hyena and learns about an illegal animal trade in Kolkata led by Aryan, the brother of Crime Branch officer Akshara D'Souza. “Lakadbaggha: The Prologue” is published by Om Books International.