Assam director Bhargav Saikia’s horror debut ‘Bokshi’ to hit theatres in early October

Assam filmmaker Bhargav Saikia’s directorial debut feature, ‘Bokshi’, is set for a theatrical release in India in early October 2026. Coverage around the film points to October 9, 2026 as the release date, while the headline announcement also mentions October 10. The film is produced independently by Lorien Motion Pictures.

International festival run before Indian release

‘Bokshi’ comes after an acclaimed run in international film festivals. The film made its world premiere at the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) in 2025. It was also screened at several genre-focused festivals, including the Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival in Spain, the Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival in Switzerland, and SXSW Sydney in Australia. The film was described as the only Indian feature selected for showcases at those 2025 editions.

The story of ‘Bokshi’ is set in Sikkim. It follows a troubled teenager, Anahita, whose school trek takes her to a remote prehistoric site. As the journey unfolds, she finds disturbing connections to an ancient legend, and myth and reality begin to overlap.

Practical horror, multilingual and shot in Sikkim

The makers say the film is built to be experienced on the big screen. The cast includes Prasanna Bisht, Mansi Multani, and Siddharth Shaw in key roles, with Shernaz Patel voicing the titular character. ‘Bokshi’ is multilingual, featuring Hindi, English, and Nepali, along with Boksirit, a fictional language developed for the film.

Another highlighted point is the film’s approach to effects. Instead of relying heavily on CGI, the film uses practical effects and was shot extensively in the forests of Sikkim for over 80 days. The film’s technical team includes A. Vasanth for cinematography, debutant Siddharth Sivasankaran for editing, Dhiman Karmakar for sound design, and Advait Nemlekar for music.