The collaboration marks the fifth project between the duo, coming 13 years after their 2012 supernatural mystery Dangerous Ishhq. Produced by Anand Pandit alongside Vikram Bhatt, the film features Ahan Shetty in the lead opposite Anya Singh and Larissa Bonesi. In addition to scoring the film's entire musical landscape, Reshammiya's label, Himesh Reshammiya Melodies, has formally acquired the worldwide music rights for the period horror feature.
A 13-Year Reunion: Five Films of Musical History
Vikram Bhatt and Himesh Reshammiya's association dates back to the peak melody era of the early 2000s:
The Collaboration Archive: Their partnership began with the Bhatt camp crime drama Footpath (2003)—which introduced Emraan Hashmi and featured tracks like "Chain Aapko Mila"—followed by the psychological thriller Fear (2007) and the romantic neo-noir Red: The Dark Side (2007, home to the chartbuster "Aafreen Tera Chehra"). Their fourth outing was Karisma Kapoor's comeback vehicle, Dangerous Ishhq (2012).
Why Vikram Reached Out: Insiders note that Bhatt was keen to steer the franchise back to its haunting, melody-heavy musical roots:
“Vikram Bhatt’s horror films are known not just for jump scares and scary visuals, but also for soulful music. '1920: Cold Winter' is no exception. This time, he really wanted the music to stand out and create an eerie, romantic atmosphere, which is why he approached Himesh. Himesh immediately came on board.”
Mussoorie Replaces Ooty: Setting the Visual Terrain
While Bhatt historically favored the mist-covered tea estates of Ooty for previous installments in the 1920 and Raaz universes, the new chapter shifts north:
The Winter Shoot: Production is scheduled to commence in Mussoorie, Uttarakhand, towards the final quarter of 2026. The severe winter climate, fog, and colonial-era hillside architecture will serve as the natural visual backdrop to match the Cold Winter storyline.
Fresh Lead Pairing: The film marks an intriguing transition for Ahan Shetty (Tadap, Border 2) into period gothic horror, sharing screen space with Anya Singh and Brazilian model-actor Larissa Bonesi making her theatrical Bollywood entry.
Himesh Reshammiya's Expanding Composer Slate
The acquisition of 1920: Cold Winter forms part of an aggressive multi-project soundtrack push by Himesh Reshammiya Melodies across theatrical banners:
Sunny Deol's Suryaa: Reshammiya has also signed on to compose the score and album for Sunny Deol's upcoming mass action drama Suryaa: One Man Against The System.
Studio Roster: Through his label, Reshammiya is currently developing soundtracks for Emraan Hashmi’s spy vehicle Gunmaaster G9, Ayushmann Khurrana’s romantic feature Yeh Prem Mol Liya, and Anil Sharma’s period actioner Arjun Naga starring Utkarsh Sharma and Arjun Rampal.
Trade Verdict:
The 1920 franchise has generated over ₹100 Crore in cumulative global returns by adhering to a consistent formula: atmospheric period production, relatively controlled budgets, and strong romantic melodies. Bringing Himesh Reshammiya back into Vikram Bhatt's horror orbit restores a classic early-2000s sonic flavor to a franchise that relies heavily on chart-topping soundtracks to anchor its theatrical openings.
