Mukti fuses cinema with code in India’s most daring video game experiment

Independent game studio underDOGS is attempting something few Indian developers have dared to imagine: building a video game that plays like a film and speaks in two languages. Mukti, its upcoming narrative adventure, is not just another indie title, it’s a cinematic experiment blending live-action footage with interactive storytelling. The studio confirmed a 2026 release on PlayStation 5 and PC.

The biggest reveal? Mukti features real actors - on camera, not as digitized avatars.

A game that plays like a movie

Unlike most games that rely on animation or motion capture, Mukti integrates full-fledged live-action performances shot with a cinematic lens. These sequences aren’t isolated cutscenes; they’re baked into the gameplay experience.

The cast features names more familiar to arthouse cinema and theater than video games. Ahilya Bamroo takes the lead as Arya Roy, supported by veterans such as M.K. Raina, Pawan Chopra, and Sraman Chatterjee. Each actor was filmed performing key scenes, directed and produced in a format closer to film than traditional game production.

“This isn’t a gimmick or a cameo setup,” said Vaibhav Chavan, underDOGS founder and Mukti’s game director. “The narrative depends entirely on the performances. We approached it like a feature film, and treated gameplay as an extension of emotion—not just interaction.”

An Indian story, in two voices

Mukti will ship with full voice tracks in Hindi and English, making it one of the few major Indian-developed games to adopt a bilingual approach from the ground up. Subtitles will be available in multiple languages to extend accessibility and appeal to an international audience.

While many Indian games opt for either local or global appeal, Mukti attempts to hold both—using language as a bridge, not a barrier.

Sony backs the project under India Hero initiative

The game is part of the Sony PlayStation India Hero Project, a support initiative aimed at nurturing Indian studios to develop globally relevant IP. For underDOGS, which started as a mobile-first studio, this marks a significant leap into console and premium PC territory.

The India Hero Project has previously supported titles in development, but Mukti may be the first to combine live-action film production and console-scale design under the same roof.

Wishlist now, but expect to wait

Mukti is scheduled for release in 2026, though no firm date has been confirmed. The developers cited the scale of production—particularly the integration of filmed content—as a key reason for the extended timeline.

Players can now wishlist the game on Steam and PlayStation Store. A teaser trailer is available on YouTube (watch here), offering a first look at the game’s tone, cast, and visual treatment.

India's growing game dev scene

India’s game development ecosystem is evolving from service-based outsourcing to creating original IP for domestic and global audiences. While titles like Raji: An Ancient Epic have attracted attention abroad, Mukti may be the first to use the language of cinema so directly in service of gameplay.

Whether it succeeds commercially remains to be seen, but in terms of ambition and narrative format, Mukti marks a notable shift.