New Delhi: Director Vishal Furia has his hands full. Two of his horror films are set to release in the next two months. Chhorii 2, starring Nushrratt Bharuccha and Soha Ali Khan, is slated to release on 11 April, while Maa, starring Kajol, will release on 27 June.
With the success of Chorrii and the buzz created around the sequel, Furia is hopeful that people will come to watch Maa in theatres.
It’s an ambitious project, Kajol’s first ever horror movie, backed by Ajay Devgn and Jyoti Deshpande. The film is currently in post-production.
“Ajay Devgn and his company were already developing the script, and Kajol was part of the film. I came on board later,” said Furia. Director Luv Ranjan recommended Furia to Devgn.
“I have learnt a lot working with female actors in my films. In Maa, it was wonderful to see how Kajol manages her career, and also helps out other actors in delivering their best performances,” said Furia.
The motion poster of Maa was released on 10 March. It features a scared yet determined-looking Kajol trying to protect her daughter, possibly from a supernatural entity, a glimpse of which is shown in the poster. The subtitle reads—”Hell is here, so is the goddess. Battle begins”.
This is not Devgn Films’ first horror movie. Shaitaan, a remake of a Gujarati movie, was released under this banner last year. It made a worldwide collection of Rs 211.06 crore, and was a box office success.
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Horror debuts
Horror comedies have done well in the past few years, as evidenced by the success of Stree (2018), Stree 2 (2024), Munjya (2024) and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 (2024). But there are not as many takers for pure horror.
“We have stuck to a certain template of horror that has romance, comedy and sex, and it stopped working. Makers stuck to the template, and never tried innovation,” said Furia. He, too, was asked to work with this template, but he refused.
Furia started his big screen career with the Marathi film Lapachhapi (2016), which was later remade in Hindi as Chhorii (2021).
But making the film in Marathi wasn’t his first choice. It was due to the resistance he faced when trying to pitch his idea in the Hindi film industry.
Even with Lapachhapi, he was asked to include comic characters, but he held his ground. When he received a positive response, he decided to try his luck in Hindi once again
This time, he was backed by Bhushan Kumar of T-Series. The movie had a viewership of 5.1 million in the first week of its release in November 2021. “Once makers start to educate themselves about the genre, and use our myths and legends in the films instead of following Western horror tales, people will also open up to watching horror movies,” said Furia.
Furia complimented Kajol for the ease with which she managed to transition into the genre of horror. “Her eyes portrayed fear, shock and horror with the same intensity as other emotions. I can proudly say that I have the honor of directing those eyes,” said Furia.
Bharuccha also made her horror debut in Chhorii, and Khan is set for the same in the sequel.
Furia admires the work of Malayalam director Rahul Sadasivan, who has explored the theme of caste in Bramayugam (2024) and mental health in Bhoothakaalam (2022). Furia wants his films to not just scare the audience but also make them think. It’s why they’ve all been led by women.
“I want the movies to have a bigger takeaway. Horror is a medium that evokes certain responses in the audience, to at least acknowledge the kind of superstitions that women bear the brunt of,” said Furia.
(Edited by Theres Sudeep)