Dandakaranya is an attempt towards a short folk thriller, rooted to the reality of the conflict to maintain the sustainable ways of life of native tribal population trying to protect their land, belief systems and culture. Set against the backdrop of a protest near deposit number 13, a mountain rich in iron ore and sacred to the tribal natives of Bailadila, Chhattisgarh. Starting with a short documentary section of the protest that sets the context, giving a socio-political background of the region and the people, the story moves on to follow a day in the life of a young tribal, Linga who lost his father during Salwa Judum times. Torn between his duty to the protest and his family, Linga embarks on a fateful journey to find the lost sacrificial goat, for the rituals to satisfy the Earth Gods planned for the night. Along the way, he encounters Sudha, a woman seeking justice for his father's death albeit for her own selfish ambitions. As the night unfolds, Linga's mother's tragic fate is revealed, igniting a dangerous pursuit for vengeance. The film explores the darkness that lurks beneath the surface of an ancient community and the consequences of sacrilege in different forms, evolving interpretations of cultures - trying to predict a future for an educated tribal trying to carve out his own life, recovering from the trauma of seeing his own father being murdered by the guardians of a developing nation.
