What if a film about a dog is actually asking us to look at ourselves?

That is the interesting question sitting underneath Ohh My Dog.

The new family entertainer starring Pankaj Tripathi is built around a child, a dog and a bond that slowly changes the way they see each other. But for Tripathi, the film carries a message that goes beyond a cute pet story.

It is about fear. Understanding. And, most importantly, empathy.

While discussing the film with Hindustan Times, Tripathi also spoke about something much bigger: why Indian films are increasingly finding audiences outside the country. His answer may sound surprising - they are going more local.

And that idea connects beautifully with what Ohh My Dog is trying to say.

Pankaj Tripathi’s Message: Understand Before You Fear

Tripathi believes that many people who are uncomfortable around animals are not necessarily against them. They may simply be afraid because they don't understand them.

His hope is that Ohh My Dog encourages audiences to look at animals differently.

That means going beyond the obvious "dogs are cute" conversation.

Animals have their own behaviour, fears and boundaries. Living with them also means understanding their needs rather than treating them like accessories or possessions.

At its heart, the film asks viewers to replace fear with familiarity.

And that is a message children can understand easily - perhaps even better than adults.

The simple idea behind Tripathi's message is this: understanding can be the first step towards empathy.

What Is Ohh My Dog Really Trying to Say?

Directed by Amit Rai, Ohh My Dog places a child and a dog at the centre of its story. The film released in theatres on August 7, 2026, after its original July 31 release was pushed by a week because of the crowded theatrical calendar.

The film isn't simply using a dog as a cute screen attraction.

Its story revolves around the relationship between humans and animals, with themes of friendship, loyalty, rescue and trust. Early audience reactions after release have also focused on the warmth of that human-animal bond.

That makes the film accessible even to people who don't own pets.

You don't have to be a dog lover to understand friendship.

You don't have to own an animal to understand attachment.

And you certainly don't need to speak the same language to understand fear, affection or trust.

That last point is important because it leads directly to Tripathi's larger argument about Indian storytelling.

Why Pankaj Tripathi Thinks Indian Stories Can Go Global ?

In his Hindustan Times conversation, Tripathi described empathy as a core value of Indian emotion. He also pointed towards India's extraordinary cultural diversity - its festivals, traditions, regions and communities - as a natural source of stories.

His point is simple: when filmmakers present these things honestly, audiences outside India can connect with them too.

Why?

• Because culture may be specific, but emotion isn't.
• Someone in Japan may not know what a particular Indian festival feels like.
• Someone in Europe may not understand the rhythm of a small Indian town.
• But they can understand a parent's love.
• They can understand loneliness.
• They can understand friendship.
• They can understand fear.
• That is where a local story can suddenly become universal.

A story does not have to lose its identity to cross a border.

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‘Pehle Writers Mumbai Se Bharat Ko Samajhte The’: What Did He Mean?

One of the most interesting observations from Tripathi's interview was his comment:

"Pehle writers Mumbai se Bharat ko samajhte the."

He was referring to a time when some writers tried to understand the larger India while working from Mumbai.

The point isn't really about Mumbai.

It is about perspective.

Mainstream Hindi cinema has often focused on metropolitan lives, urban aspirations and stories designed for city audiences. Smaller towns and rural India were certainly present, but they did not always receive the same attention.

Tripathi believes that the picture has changed.

In the Hindustan Times interview, he specifically mentioned filmmakers such as Anurag Basu from Bhilai, Imtiaz Ali from Jamshedpur and Tigmanshu Dhulia from Allahabad, saying they came to Mumbai after experiencing literature, culture and the wider world.

What did they bring with them?

• Their own understanding of India.
• Their memories.
• Their language.
• Their people.
• Their version of home.

And that can change the way a story feels on screen.

Why Going Local Can Make Indian Films More Global?

Here is the apparent contradiction:

Why would becoming more local help a film become more global?

Because audiences don't necessarily want every film to look familiar.

Sometimes, they want to discover something.

• A different city.
• A different culture.
• A different family.
• A different way of life.

That is why rooted storytelling can be so powerful.

Consider some of the Indian films that have attracted international attention in recent years.

RRR took Telugu cinema's scale and energy to a worldwide audience. The Elephant Whisperers brought an intimate story of people and elephants to the global stage. And Payal Kapadia's All We Imagine as Light, centred on the lives of two nurses in Mumbai, won the Grand Prix at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.

These films are very different.

But none of them needed to hide their Indian identity.

That is the point Tripathi is making.

Local detail creates curiosity. Universal emotion creates connection.

From Cannes to Award Shows: Indian Cinema Is Now Being Seen Differently

The growing international visibility of Indian cinema isn't limited to film festivals.

Major award shows have also given Indian films important global moments.

At the 95th Academy Awards in 2023, RRR's "Naatu Naatu" won the Oscar for Best Original Song. The Elephant Whisperers also won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Film.

Then came another major moment at Cannes.

All We Imagine as Light became the first Indian film in three decades to compete for the Palme d'Or and eventually won the Grand Prix, one of the festival's top honours. The official Cannes record confirms its 2024 Grand Prix win.

These wins do not mean that every Indian film has suddenly become an international success.

They do show something else.

Indian stories are getting more opportunities to be seen, discussed and discovered outside India.

And once audiences discover one story, they may become curious about another.

That is how a wider cinematic ecosystem grows.

What Does Ohh My Dog Have to Do With This Bigger Change?

At first, the connection may seem odd.

What does a family film about a dog have to do with Cannes, Oscars or the global rise of Indian cinema?

More than you might think.

Both rely on an emotion that doesn't need translation.

Ohh My Dog works with ideas such as companionship, fear, loyalty and empathy. These are not uniquely Indian emotions. But they can still be explored through an Indian story and Indian characters.

That is the same balance Tripathi sees in Indian cinema.

Keep the setting rooted. Let the emotion travel.

The film's director Amit Rai has also spoken about choosing Ohh My Dog after the success of OMG 2, despite having opportunities to pursue a bigger commercial project. He said his priority was the story rather than the budget or star power.

That choice adds another layer to the conversation.

Sometimes, a film doesn't need to be bigger.

It simply needs to have something worth saying.

What Does Pankaj Tripathi Want Audiences to Learn?

If you strip away the film promotion and the larger conversation around cinema, Tripathi's message is surprisingly simple.

Don't fear what you don't understand.

Understand animals before judging them.

Understand cultures before making assumptions about them.

And perhaps understand a story on its own terms before deciding whether it can connect with you.

That is also why his comments about Ohh My Dog fit so naturally with his views on Indian cinema.

Both are about looking beyond the surface.

A dog is not just a pet.

A local story is not just a "small" story.

And an Indian film does not have to imitate another country's cinema to find an audience there.

The Bigger Picture: Indian Cinema Doesn't Have to Choose

The global journey of Indian cinema isn't necessarily about becoming more Western or more "international".

It may be about becoming more honest.

More regional.

More rooted.

More comfortable with the many Indias that exist beyond the usual metropolitan lens.

That may be the most interesting part of Tripathi's observation.

A film about a dog can start a conversation about empathy.

A story from a smaller town can reach someone thousands of kilometres away.

A regional culture can become a global discovery.

And a deeply Indian emotion can make complete sense without translation.

Maybe the road from local to global was never really a straight line.

Sometimes, the road to the world begins by going home.