30th December, 2024: The duo that delivered some of the most intriguing horror comedies in recent times, like Chaipatti and Chintaa Mani, storyteller-filmmaker Sudhanshu Rai and Director Puneet Sharma are back with a bigger dose of thrill this time. Known for their unique storytelling that hooks the audience to the edge of their seats, the makers have now announced BAIDA, a one-of-its-kind sci-fi supernatural thriller film set in the backdrop of India’s Hindi heartland. The film, starring actors like Mahabharat-fame Sourabh Raaj Jain, Hiten Tejwani and Lust Stories 2-fame Tarun Khanna, also popular as Mahadev, will hit the theatres early 2025.
Sharing a glimpse of what to expect this time, Sudhanshu Rai, widely touted as India’s favourite storyteller for sci-fi, detective and thriller stories, said, “Taking forward our signature of story being the king, BAIDA is a wholesome entertainer, an intriguing tale of unexpected twists, turns and some larger-than-life characters that will keep the audience glued to the screen. It was the constant encouragement from my fans and followers to convert my stories into films that prompted me to make my acting and directorial debut with Chaipatti, and with BAIDA, the universe of unheard & unimaginable stories is just set to get bigger.”
Adding to it, Puneet Sharma, BAIDA’s Director who was widely lauded for his last outing Chintaa Mani, said, “The Indian film audience is increasingly embracing stories based on out-of-the-box concepts and unique storylines. When we released Chaipatti, it was an instant hit across all platforms, including YouTube and OTTs, and later it organically crossed 1 million views, with innumerable encouraging comments asking for its sequel. The experience was similar for our subsequent releases, Detective Boomrah and Chintaa Mani. We are sure that BAIDA will be loved by the theatre audiences, who always crave for fresh and novel content.”
He further said that the cast of the film includes Manisha Rai, last seen in Detective Boomrah, and Shobhit Sujay, who was appreciated for his impactful performances in Chaipatti and Chintaa Mani, in pivotal roles, along withDeepa Siddharth Banerjee, Deepak Wadhwa, Wadhwa, Akhlaq Azad and Pradeep Kabra. The film has been edited by Pratheek Shetty, who was also the editor of notable films such as Kantara and 777 Charlie. Interestingly, it is for the first time that concepts like sci-fi & time travel are weaved in a story based in the Hindi heartland, which usually sets the premise of rom-coms and political dramas. With a major portion shot near Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, the film is believed to capture the true essence of the region as well as its people. Bhojpuri, the dialect most prevalent in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, has also been featured prominently as part of the Hindi feature film.
BAIDA’s makers had earlier revealed that local artisans and sculptors from around Gorakhpur were inducted in the Arts Department of the film as well to ensure a genuine representation of the region. Some portions of the film have also been shot in Delhi. The story of the film revolves around an assassin, who is on to taking an altogether different path in life. It is a series of events that unfolds with him, and some larger-than-life characters he encounters, that form the core of the enthralling sci-fi supernatural thriller film. Can’t wait for the first look? Dropping January 2025!
