- Date of Release: 7 August 2026
- Genre: Drama, Crime, Mystery, Thriller
- Language: Hindi
- Watch On: Theatres Only
Ohh My Dog
Introduction
There are two layers to the new Hindi film Ohh My Dog that instantly connects its two parallel unfolding tracks in the film. One is that of greed that tactfully forms a thrilling connection between the two tales. But the other one is that of a strong and resonant emotional core that grounds the drama in reality. Ironically in each of the two tales, there is a child and a dog at the helm of things – interchanging their roles, that further establishes the spirit of the drama. After all, every human deserves a canine, and every canine deserves a human – even while flaunting a searing bond that would make them move mountains, a trait that was beautifully explored in the 2022 Kannada film 777 Charlie. In other words, it is also on how a dog raises you, just like you raise a dog – a bond of purity that remains distant and unattached from the corrupt realms of the society, circling back to the twin themes of the film. So greed is mostly only prevalent in humans, while the unfiltered emotional bond is found in those very same humans (some of them) during their tryst with dogs (or pets).
Story & Screenplay
Written by Amit Rai, there is a searing emotional undercurrent that is curated as a premise for Oh My Dog, even as a guilt-driven police officer quietly sheds a tear following the loss of his rescue dog – reminiscent of its origin story of leaving its two cubs behind. The subtext remains that of the world of crime that gently steadies itself in the realms of innocence – even as you are acquainted with the two pets across two different cities – Oscar (Bruno) and Momo (Oscar), along with their respective pre-teen owners Prince (Nikhil Kumar) and Apu (Maahi Rai). It is interesting on how each of these pets reciprocates an unsaid wave of love towards their ‘masters’ – volunteering to be a ‘hanger’ for the towels, or simply warming up to the idea of playing ‘catch’.
The inherent bond also has undertones of a potential tragedy – even as the central conflict laced with greed sets in, leading to the sudden disappearance of Momo and Prince, thereby prompting each of Apu and Oscar to independently trace their tracks. It is interesting to note how Apu and Oscar can essentially be equated as similar forms of humans – both sharing their unwavering and faithful love for their ‘better halves’ that remains oblivious to the world. And ironically, it is their moral compass mixed with a flair of innocence that drives each of their antics.
For instance, Apu begins to investigate on his own when he gets little assistance from the local cops. Likewise, Oscar after seeking help from his close-knit fraternity including an honest teacher Masterji (Pankaj Tripathi) and a shady cop Daroga (Rajesh Kumar), he decides to take ‘law’ into his own hands by tracing the trails of his beloved Prince.
The characterization of Apu and Oscar form a local companion piece of sorts that drives the narrative. The former remains a street-smart brainy kid who would challenge the persona of Sherlock Holmes – tactfully tracing clues even while traversing with his teacher Krishna (Sulakhyana Baruah) from point A to point B. The name of his teacher isn’t incidental either, equating the events to the Mahabharata – forming a parallel of a dynamic between Krishna and Arjun, even while being pitted against the Kauravas. A similar ‘sniffing’ investigative trait holds true for Oscar too – caving a righteous path for his clan, even whilst being pitted against the powerful personnel in the underbellies of the city – thereby forming an interesting goosechase!
There is a searing subtext of organ trafficking and animal trafficking respectively, that forms key cogs to drive the narrative. But this is where the writing also becomes a little more ambitious – raising its scale but stuttering with bouts of lags in the second hour. For instance, the idea of several street dogs collectively coming together for a searing cause felt like a fascinating idea – but the writing around it felt a tad convenient and stretched. The latter also is true for the track of Apu and Krishna who are later accompanied by the good cop (Pavan Malhotra), who might be suffering from anger management issues but acts as a righteous ploy to crack the chase. And I say a tad convenient because in each of the two cases, the solution itself felt convenient while forcing you to blur the lines of disbelief.
That said, the phase is only momentary – quickly getting back on track while emphasizing on the entertainment quotient that had me invested in the journeys of the characters again. It also willingly tackled themes of a strong moral compass that would often stem out of a seed of innocence, mounted on the concept of compassion for each of the two protagonists – that eventually had my heart leaping with joy.
It is all the more relevant from a human-canine POV given that there isn’t a definitive law for the voiceless animals, and the latter being casually bumped off in the name of disappearance (a true incident that had me outraged recently; RIP Mikey, hope you are at peace). More so, the screenplay in all its forms of entertainment is also a welcome reminder on how both animals and humans can co-exist with compassion – the latter of which can easily be interchangeable and searingly peaceful.
Dialogues, Music & Direction
There is a hint of urgency and dramatization that often takes centerstage through the dialogues that are otherwise simplistic. But the undercurrent of emotions is where the elevation takes place, given the context of the drama as viewed through the unsaid compassion of the characters. The music is decent but is deeply rooted in the cultural realms of the two cities in question (where the drama is staged). In the same breath, the BGM is resounding while being earthy, aptly adding to the urgency of the drama and lacing the narrative with streaky bouts of ‘Godly’ compassion (the parallels are clear).
The cinematography comprises of frames that are ably curated to create a flowing emotional core between the characters and the parallel tracks, that invariably allow you space to invest in the characters. This, even as the frames do their bit in creating a sense of urgency in the narrative. Likewise, the editing pattern is swift enough to hold the narrative – scoring wonderfully with its buildup only to be followed by its share of urgency that managed to keep me invested. Even the transitions from one track to another feels seamless without really being disjointed. If anything, there are brief moments of lag in the second hour that could have been ironed off for a crisper runtime.
Director Amit Rai yet again proves after OMG 2 (2023) that he is an expert storyteller. The parallels of compassion between his protagonists, while immersing them in the underbelly of crime was a challenging idea on paper. But his direction has a purpose, ably joining the dots of a thriller while mounting it as a kids’ film for all ages. Also, he doesn’t allow his narrative to be bogged down at any point (the moments of lag are fleeting passages in the second hour) – thereby making the filmmaking noteworthy and equally praiseworthy.
Performances
The performances are wonderful by the members of the cast. Jitendra Kumar as Rajale and Shashie Vermaa have their moments to shine, and both of them manage to impress despite a limited screen time. And here I must also add that I am a fan of the parallels drawn between characters with similar traits across the twin unfolding tracks. Shreedhar Dubey as Mukadam and Geeta Agrawal Sharma as Apu’s mother are similar traits of silent compassion and a hint of urgency that aide the respective characters. And both of them are sincere and earnest.
Likewise, Pankaj Tripathi as Masterji and Sulakhyana Baruah as Krishna are guiding lights to the respective characters (ironically, both are teachers too) – and both of them mount their wonderful performances of righteousness and nobility. Rajesh Kumar as Daroga and Vijay Mishra as Mohd Yusuf Hazari are linked to be on the ‘right’ side of the law, but in-turn have shady undertones to their characters. And both of them exploit this ‘grey’ trait with a lot of flair and humour, thereby adding to the entertainment quotient of the drama.
Bulloo Kumar as the thug plays to the galleries, and he has his moments to shine too. Pavan Malhotra as the fiery but good-hearted cop does manage to tickle your funny bone while being an emblem of hope through his unsaid bouts of compassion. And he was such a joy to witness here.
Maahi Rai as Apu is incredibly good here, while adding layers of sharp-sighted spunkiness to his wonderful performance. There is an unhinged flair in his act that can be equated to the unhinged swipes of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi – unperturbed, fearless but flauting his innocence with a lot of confidence. Lastly, both Bruno and Oscar have my heart – the darlings of the film that had me emotionally invested in their respective journeys through and through. They were a treat to witness here.
Conclusion
Barring a few moments of lag in the second hour, Ohh My Dog delivers an understated yet deeply moving exploration of human-canine compassion, balancing tender emotional beats with moments of thrilling urgency. For animal lovers, the film will hit on a profoundly personal level, effortlessly drawing the audience into the raw, heartfelt connections shared by its characters. More than just a heartwarming tale, it serves as a beautifully crafted tribute to canine loyalty wrapped inside a riveting, fast-paced thriller. Ultimately, it is a captivating and solid watch that is well worth your time. Available in a theatre near you (from 7th August ’26).