Director Vikas Bahl shares how he zeroed in on the film
MUMBAI: In the recent trailer launch of the supernatural thriller “Shaitaan”, Vikas Bahl shared that he was chosen by Ajay Devgn to direct the film because he fears the supernatural genre. Featuring Ajay Devgn, Jyotika, and R Madhavan, the gripping content of the film is generating massive buzz among audiences. From the sinister look of R Madhavan to Ajay Devgn portraying his protective father role, Jyotika as the fierce mother, and Janki receiving praise for her phenomenal performance, the film is already making exciting headlines and building anticipation.
Promising to be an edge-of-the-seat story, director Vikas Bahl talks about how he decided to helm “Shaitaan”, “I don’t really watch supernatural thrillers or horror movies, so my knowledge of that genre as a viewer is very little. But when I heard the story of “Shaitaan”, I loved it, and I felt that this story had to be told. At the same time, it was so challenging for me to tell a story in a genre that I am a novice in. So, I thought, let me take up this challenge and see where it goes. And I must say, it’s been a great experience working on “Shaitaan” and creating it.”.
Diving into the dark world of black magic, the film takes you on a journey with Kabir and his family, where their fun weekend trip is interrupted by a mysterious stranger. Crafting a supernatural thriller requires skilled planning, and Vikas Bahl conducted thorough research before diving into the shoot of the film.
Speaking about what went into the preparation of the film, the director shares, “As I said, I don’t watch this genre, and I never thought I would be venturing into it. So, actually, like a school kid, we used to sit and watch videos, read, and watch other films. The whole team would sit in a room, and we would try to study. It was almost like going back to school, trying to understand how these films are made, how the camera works, how the action works, how scenes work, and how emotions work. So, I told my team, ‘Let’s all sit, learn, and be sure that we know how to pull this off.’ Going back to school and feeling nervous before we hit the floor was a really good experience, and I wish I could do it again and again, in new genres, in new films, and always be challenged to see how I can pull them off.”.
Presented by Jio Studios, Devgn Films, and Panorama Studios, “Shaitaan” is produced by Ajay Devgn, Jyoti Deshpande, Kumar Mangat Pathak and Abhishek Pathak and directed by Vikas Bahl.
The film is set to release theatrically on 8th March 2024.
