Shaitaan

<p>Kabir Rishi, a devoted family man and successful chartered accountant from Dehradun, is looking forward to a much-needed vacation with his wife, Jyoti, and their children, Janhvi and Dhruv. Seeking peace and bonding time, the Rishi family heads to their remote farmhouse nestled in the wilderness. The atmosphere is serene, and the family begins to settle into the calm surroundings. Their tranquility is disrupted when they encounter Vanraj Kashyap, a charismatic yet enigmatic traveler who appears stranded nearby. Vanraj offers assistance and strikes up a conversation, quickly gaining the family’s trust. Despite initial hesitation, Kabir allows Vanraj into their home, seeing no reason to suspect ill intent. However, the family’s sense of security unravels when Janhvi begins exhibiting disturbing behavior. She becomes distant, aggressive, and alarmingly violent, particularly towards her younger brother, Dhruv. Jyoti and Kabir are horrified, unable to understand the sudden transformation in their daughter. They soon discover the terrifying truth: Vanraj is not an ordinary man, but a practitioner of ancient black magic, capable of hypnotic manipulation. Vanraj reveals his plan—to use Janhvi as a vessel to spread his twisted philosophy of stripping humanity of free will. As his control over Janhvi intensifies, he isolates the Rishi family by destroying their communication devices and turning their own daughter against them. A desperate attempt to call the police ends in failure, as Vanraj threatens Janhvi’s life and uses her as a puppet to enforce his dominance. Pushed to the brink, Kabir and Jyoti are forced to surrender Janhvi to Vanraj. But Kabir refuses to give up. Driven by a father’s love and fierce determination, he embarks on a perilous journey to track Vanraj’s whereabouts. He eventually discovers a hidden ritual chamber deep in the forest, where Vanraj is preparing dozens of hypnotized young girls, including Janhvi, for a horrific mass possession ceremony. In a climactic confrontation, Kabir fights Vanraj in a brutal and emotionally charged showdown. Realizing that Vanraj’s power lies in his voice and the incantations he chants, Kabir seizes the opportunity to silence him permanently. In a decisive act, Kabir cuts off Vanraj’s tongue, severing his control over Janhvi and the other girls. The spell is broken, and the children are freed. A year later, the Rishi family appears to have resumed their normal life, though the scars of their trauma remain. In a chilling final scene, Kabir is seen visiting a heavily secured underground chamber where Vanraj now mute and powerless is imprisoned. Kabir coldly reminds Vanraj that true strength lies not in the ability to control others, but in the power of love, sacrifice, and a parent’s unbreakable will to protect. Despite his defeat, Vanraj’s eyes gleam with quiet fury, hinting that his dark presence may one day return. Hindi remake of the horror film (2023) was announced in May 2023 with in the lead role, to be directed by , while the title was confirmed in January 2024. was cast as the antagonist and as Devgn’s wife, both having previously starred in (2001), (2003), and (2017), along with Jyothika’s return to Hindi films after 25 years. Janki Bodiwala and Anngad Raaj were signed to play the children; the former reprises her role from . It marks Bodiwala’s debut in . The film was shot in London, and with filming taking place from June 2023 to September 2023. The music of the film is composed by and lyrics are written by . The first single titled “Khushiyaan Bator Lo” was released on 15 February 2024. The second single titled “Aisa Main Shaitaan” was released on 29 February 2024. The third single “Shaitaan Theme” was released on 8 March 2024 during release. The fourth single “Papa Tu Hai Naa” was released on 2 April 2024 after release. All lyrics are written by ; all music is composed by . Shaitaan was theatrically released on 8 March 2024, coinciding with . The film premiered on on 1 May 2024. grossed (US$21 million) in India and a further (US$3.9 million) in overseas markets, for a worldwide total of (US$25 million). received positive reviews from critics, with particular praise going towards the performances of Devgn, Madhavan and Bodiwala. On the website , 40% of 15 critics’ reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.3/10. gave 4/5 stars and wrote ” is a nail-biting thriller laced with superlative performances and clapworthy climax that keeps you engaged”. Dhaval Roy of gave the film 3.5/5 and wrote “Even though Shaitaan’s narrative stumbles at times, the masterful use of atmosphere and top-notch acting elevate it into an unsettling experience worth having”. Sana Farzeen of gave the film 2.5/5 and wrote ” falls short, probably cursed by a weak script and the pressure of helming a remake”. Lachmi Deb Roy of rated 2.5 out of 5 and opined ” could have been a good supernatural thriller, which we haven’t seen much in Hindi cinema of late, but it turned out to be a complete mess in the process of depicting the war of good vs evil. It’s a poorly made remake and the story is just not believable. Making the hero win at the end makes the film just too predictable”. of gave the film 1.5/5 and wrote “Jyothika is the only one in the cast who is able to rise a bit above the sheer absurdity of the proceedings. The two male characters and the actors playing them don’t stand a chance”. A spinoff titled starring was released on 27 June 2025.</p>