With a keen eye for atmospheric storytelling, filmmaker Vishal Furia has steadily carved a niche for himself in the Indian horror and thriller space over the past decade. Having begun his journey with the Marathi horror film Lapachhapi, he went on to deliver successful and unsettling tales in Bollywood with Chhorii and Forensic. Now, he returns with Chhorii 2, starring Nushrratt Bharuccha and Soha Ali Khan. Premiering on Amazon Prime Video on April 11, 2025, the sequel continues Furia’s commitment to the horror genre, a space in Bollywood that has long struggled to find its footing.
Furia’s connection to the genre runs deep, shaped by childhood experiences that turned his initial fear into fascination. Recalling his earliest brush with horror, he cites watching A Nightmare on Elm Street as a defining moment. He shares, “The character of Freddy stayed with me and haunted me in my nightmares to the extent that I would not sleep with the fear that he might trap me in my dreams!”
Chhorii 2 follows Sakshi (Nushrratt Bharuccha), now a mother to a 7-year-old daughter. Their peaceful life shatters when the child is kidnapped and taken back to the fields, forcing Sakshi into a far more dangerous world. In the sequel, the ace director has created a world that is not only intensely atmospheric but also extremely claustrophobic, with its labyrinthine tunnels, dry wells, and ancient structures. The sense of confinement is not just physical - it extends to the narrow, oppressive mindset of its sinister characters, who are as monstrous as the world they inhabit.
Bollywood’s tryst with horror has largely been restricted to over-the-top theatrics and formulaic narratives, diminishing its credibility over the years. However, Furia, who admires the works of genre maestros like Tim Burton, Guillermo Del Toro, Jordan Peele, Takashi Miike, M. Night Shyamalan, and Ari Aster, is intent on restoring its respect back. He avers, “Bollywood horror has been more of a sleaze fest, a masala horror genre. So, it has lost its respect and attained a B-grade status. My endeavour is to strive to earn respect for the Indian Classic Horror genre. I feel it has great power to make audiences feel the extreme emotions of fear, horror, and gore, as well as empathy and love.” To him, a well-made horror film is one that lingers in the viewer’s mind long after the credits roll. He continues, “So, I feel it can be effectively used to tell great human stories. I have tried to use the genre of ‘social horror’ in the Chhorii universe to delve into issues of social inequality and oppression, using elements of suspense, fear, gore, and macabre to explore these themes.”
Furia aims to delve into all popular sub-genres of horror and is already developing stories across many of them. However, he insists on telling only Indian stories or those deeply rooted in Indian culture. With Chhorii 2 ready to haunt audiences, Furia is already gearing up for his next - Maa, a mythological horror film starring Kajol and produced by Ajay Devgn. While details remain under wraps, the project, set for a theatrical release this June, is expected to further push the boundaries of horror storytelling in Bollywood. And to that, we say, touché!
