Cinema VinesKaran Johar’s Dharma Productions is broadening its cinematic horizons by venturing deeper into the horror and fantasy arenas. The Mumbai‑based house has already lined up a fantasy comedy, Naagzilla, and a Malayalam period folk thriller, Odiyan: The Age of Illusion, for a 2025 release, along with two horror titles, one of which will star Aditya Roy Kapur. All of these projects are slated for theatrical distribution next year.
In a fresh development, Dharma has announced a new fantasy‑horror feature titled Vishkanya, starring Rajkummar Rao and Pratibha Ranta. The film is described as a high‑concept venture that fuses an expansive magical world with elements of dread and existential terror, promising a mythic universe that deviates from the usual Hindi horror tropes. While plot specifics remain under wraps, insiders say the narrative will revolve around a fantastical realm with its own rules and supernatural aspects.
Directorial duties will be handled by Sonal Joshi, who made her debut with the 2023 comedy‑drama Sukhee starring Shilpa Shetty. Joshi has previously worked as an assistant to Vijay Krishna Acharya on Dhoom 3, to Imtiaz Ali on Tamasha and Jab Harry Met Sejal, and contributed to Emraan Hashmi’s Netflix series Bard of Blood. Filming is expected to commence by the end of this year.
Pratibha Ranta, known for her breakthrough role in Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies, will portray the titular “Vishkanya.” This marks her second collaboration with Dharma, following the psychological thriller Accused that premiered on Netflix in February. For Rajkummar Rao, it is his second Dharma project after leading Sharan Sharma’s Mr. & Mrs. Mahi (2024) alongside Janhvi Kapoor.
Dharma’s 2027‑28 slate is already shaping up to be robust, featuring projects such as Kartik Aaryan’s Naagzilla; Raj Mehta’s Lag Ja Gale, starring Tiger Shroff, Lakshya, and Janhvi Kapoor; and Prosit Roy’s untitled psychological romance with Lakshya and Vedika Pinto. The company also announced a large‑scale spy film based on the life of R.N. Kao, the founder of R&AW, and a divine epic centered on the love story of Radha and Krishna.
