Aditya Sarpotdar says his horror universe films prioritize the 90% general audience over the 10% who track every detail. Building franchises brings expectations, unlike starting fresh, he notes. With “Shakti Shalini,” his third film after “Munjya” and “Thama,” reinvention is key. The film stars Aneet Padda, Nana Patekar, Vishal Jethwa, releasing Christmas 2026.
Even as cinematic universes depend more and more on connected storylines and years of built-up history, Aditya Sarpotdar believes a simple idea holds the key to a horror universe’s success: each film needs to work as a complete. The director, who is set for the film ‘Shakti Shalini’, says that while the makers do have a long-term vision for the universe, the films are, above all, made for a wide audience.
Aditya Sarpotdar on separate storytelling
In an interview with Variety India, Sarpotdar said, “The audience that really follows this roadmap and is following all of this in detail, at least in India, is not even 10%. The other 90% comes to watch a good film and have a good time. The idea is to cater to that 90% and also not disappoint the other 10%. So we are not making films just for the 10% audience that dissects every detail”.
Aditya Sarpotdar on balancing expectations
According to Sarpotdar, managing that balance is among the toughest creative challenges that come with building an interconnected franchise. “When you’re starting to build something, there is no pressure because there are no expectations. But when you’re building a franchise, you’re coming with a certain set of expectations because the earlier film has worked. That’s why people are coming back for the next,” he explains.
Aditya Sarpotdar on reinventing with each film
With ‘Shakti Shalini’ becoming his third film in the universe after ‘Munjya’ and ‘Thama’, the filmmaker says he has to keep reinventing his work. He added, “We have to reinvent ourselves with every film while knowing what the soul of the franchise is. You build around that soul and create a completely new experience.”
‘Shakti Shalini’ cast and release
The cast of ‘Shakti Shalini’ includes Aneet Padda, Nana Patekar, Vishal Jethwa and Seema Biswas, with the film currently slated to hit theatres during Christmas 2026. Go to Source
