Unlike the studio's established horror-comedy franchise—which balances supernatural folklore with irreverent slapstick and punchlines—this untitled project is designed as an atmospheric, large-scale psychological chiller centered around a resilient female protagonist facing terrifying circumstances. The film marks the ninth professional collaboration between Sanon and Maddock Films, cementing one of the most successful producer-actor partnerships in contemporary Hindi cinema.
A Departure from the Horror-Comedy Universe: Pure Dread Over Laughs
While Maddock Films effectively pioneered India’s most lucrative shared cinematic franchise through supernatural comedies, trade sources confirm that this new venture deliberately strips away the comedic safety net:
The Tonal Shift: Rather than relying on witty one-liners or situational humor, the screenplay is rooted in dread, atmospheric tension, psychological distress, and jump scares.
Standalone Canvas: Insiders indicate the film is being mounted as a standalone, large-scale theatrical project rather than an immediate crossover chapter with the Stree or Bhediya timelines.
Challenging Comfort Zones: Having briefly stepped into the supernatural domain as Dr. Anika in Bhediya (2022), this marks Sanon's first opportunity to lead an out-and-out scare fest from start to finish.
Production Roadmap & Director Selection
The project is currently in early pre-production, with the studio finalizing key technical heads:
Directorial Reveal Awaited: Maddock Films is in advanced talks with a prominent thriller filmmaker known for atmospheric storytelling to helm the project, with formal announcements expected once location scouts conclude.
Shooting Timetable: Principal photography is slated to commence in early 2027, following the completion of Sanon’s current promotional commitments and script workshops.
Trade Take:
Indian cinema has witnessed a massive resurgence in horror, but mainstream studios have largely taken shelter in the safer horror-comedy hybrid format. By backing a high-budget, female-led pure horror project with an A-list star like Kriti Sanon, Dinesh Vijan is attempting to replicate in the pure suspense space what Stree did for comic horror—proving that audiences are ready for genuine fear without the comedy crutch.
