Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], August 29 (ANI): Sidharth Malhotra and Tamannaah Bhatia's upcoming film 'The Vvaan' is set to take audiences into an unusual world, bringing fantasy folklore, mystery, spirituality and superntural come together.
Writer Arunabh Kumar and director Deepak Kumar Mishra recently opened up about the inspiration behind the film, revealing that its story has roots in a real-life folklore associated with the Van Devi Temple near Patna.
Speaking to ANI, Arunabh Kumar recalled visiting the temple and learning the stories and legends surrounding its origins.
"The story behind that temple is that it was built in the 16th century. In the forest, there were some things that used to trouble the people around there. There was a tradition that people were forbidden to visit the forest after sunset. The legend still remains in place. I spoke to the local people, the priests, and the villagers. Two years ago, I told Deepak about the story, and we both found it very exciting. It was then that we both went to Ektaa Kapoor, and it was she who said that this is a story to be made on a big screen," Kumar said.
For director Deepak Kumar Mishra, the appeal of 'Vvaan' lay in the opportunity to tell a heartland-rooted story on a much larger cinematic canvas.
"We had to create a new world," Mishra said, explaining that one of the biggest challenges was transforming the story into a cinematic world that could move between contemporary reality and the mysterious environment of the forest.
Mishra, best known for directing Panchayat, also explained why the film's protagonist appealed to him.
"Homeland stories always inspire me a lot. This story is about a very contemporary boy who goes back to his roots and follows a path of rediscovery. As soon as this logline came, I developed a lot of interest, as I was already doing it in 'Panchayat. Now that I had the opportunity to present it on a big platform, it was very exciting for me," he added.
Mishra also described the process of translating the story through the right use of technology and animation, calling it both challenging and exciting.
"When it was narrated, the visuals automatically came to mind. It started from there and then slowly grew with the team. We prepared a cinematic presentation of it. One may not feel it while watching, but there is a lot of technology, a lot of animation, which has been used to build the world, to build that atmosphere," he said.
The official teaser of 'The Vvaan' was unveiled earlier this week.
Presented by Balaji Motion Pictures, the teaser promises a captivating journey into a world of fantasy folklore, mystery, ancient beliefs and the supernatural.
Sharing the teaser's link, Sidharth on Instagram wrote, "Humari Rakshak hain woh, jinki Sher savaari hai! 25th Sept ko aa rahi Vvaan ki kahani hai! #THEVVAANTeaser Out Now! Teaser 2 coming #THEVVAAN in cinemas on 25th September, 2026."
Written by Arunabh Kumar and directed by Deepak Mishra, with Manu Anand as DOP and Visual Director, the film is produced by Shobha Kapoor, Ektaa R Kapoor, Arunabh Kumar and Niraj Kothari.
'The Vvaan - Force of the Forrest' arrives in cinemas on September 25, 2026. (ANI)
