Mumbai, July 31 : Filmmaker Bhargav Saikia has opened up about his directorial debut â??Bokshi,â?? which is set to arrive in theatres in India on 9th October.

The horror film, which was showcased at prestigious international festivals including Rotterdam (IFFR) and Sitges, marks Saikia's first venture as a director. Speaking about the theatrical release of the film, director and producer Bhargav said, â??We are thrilled to bring Bokshi to our home audiences after an exciting 2025 festival tour, including screenings at iconic festivals like Rotterdam (IFFR) and Sitges. Crafted specifically for young audiences, Bokshi is a horror film made to be experienced on the big screen.â??

Reflecting on her casting, Bhargav mentioned, â??Prasanna was cast as the young protagonist, Anahita, after an intensive audition process. From her very first audition, I was deeply impressed by her sincerity and dedication. Hailing from the hills of Uttarakhand, she brought a natural authenticity to the role, making her the perfect choice to portray Anahita.â??

â??While watching Mira Nair's A Suitable Boy on Netflix, writer Harsh Vaibhav and I were instantly struck by Mansi's screen presence and body language. We knew right then that she was Shalini. I reached out to her on Instagram, and she came on board in no time.â??

Commenting on the film's theatrical release, Harsh Vaibhav who also serves as the executive producer stated, â??Bokshi is a fearless story about power, belief, and the narratives that shape us. We canâ??t wait for audiences to experience its world in theatres this October.â??

Produced independently by Lorien Motion Pictures, 'Bokshi' had its World Premiere at the prestigious International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) in 2025. â??Bokshiâ?? also holds the distinction of being the only Indian feature film showcased at the 2025 editions of some of the world's leading international genre film festivals which include the Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival in Spain, the Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival in Switzerland and SXSW Sydney in Australia.

The film stars Prasanna Bisht (Chiraiya, Adarsh Baal Vidyalaya), Mansi Multani (Kadakh, A Suitable Boy) and Siddharth Shaw (Do Gubbare, Chiraiya) in pivotal roles, with Shernaz Patel lending her voice to the titular character. â??Bokshiâ?? is a multilingual film featuring Hindi, English, and Nepali, along with Boksirit, a fully developed fictional language spoken by select characters in the film.

/IANS