At the trailer launch of the highly anticipated horror-comedy The Bhootnii, director and writer Sidhaant Sachdev shared his experience of working on the film and the invaluable guidance he received from Sanjay Dutt.
Expressing his gratitude, Sidhaant said, "I am blessed. From day one, from the concept note, Sanju Sir has been helping and guiding me. He is the one who said, ‘Let’s up the genre. Get action, get romance.’ So, it’s not just a horror comedy, but a horror action comedy with a great twist of romance in it."
Sidhaant further praised the stellar cast of the film, mentioning Mouni Roy, Sunny Singh, Aasif, Nick, and Palak Tiwari. "We have fantastic actors, and we have genuine action, romance, and a completely different story," he said.
Sidhaant also shared his experience learning from Sanjay Dutt and the industry veterans he worked with. "I’ve learned the most from Sanju Sir. I have also worked with Bhatt Sir, and learned a lot from him as well. The one thing I learned is to make films from the heart. Don’t compete with anyone, don’t try to be somebody else. If you make a film that’s not true to yourself, it won’t work. Shoot from the heart," he said.
He further explained his approach to filmmaking, especially when it came to The Bhootnii. "The scale of the film comes from the story. You can increase the scale as much as you want, but if you’re not shooting from the heart, it won’t be enjoyable. There was no pressure while making this film because we honestly made it with passion," Sidhaant expressed.
Sidhaant also emphasized the experiential nature of the film, particularly within the horror genre. "Horror is an experiential type of cinema. That’s why it works – because you experience it. Similarly, comedy and romance are also experiential. When you write a genre like this, it naturally comes together," he explained.
Finally, Sidhaant acknowledged Sanjay Dutt’s continuous support throughout the process, saying, "I had a two-pager when I started. From shooting to editing, Sanjay Sir has guided me a lot."
The Bhootnii promises to be a unique blend of horror, action, and romance. The film is written and directed by Sidhaant Sachdev, and produced by Deepak Mukut and Sanjay Dutt. It stars Sanjay Dutt, Sunny Singh, Mouni Roy, and Palak Tiwari. It is set to release on April 18, 2025.