Guwahati: Assam filmmaker Bhargav Saikia’s debut feature film Bokshi will release in theatres across India on October 9, 2026, after completing its international festival run.
Produced independently by Lorien Motion Pictures, Bokshi had its world premiere at the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) in 2025.
It was also the only Indian feature film screened at the 2025 editions of the Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival in Spain, the Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival in Switzerland and SXSW Sydney in Australia.
Announcing the theatrical release, director and producer Bhargav Saikia said, “We are thrilled to bring ‘Bokshi’ to our home audiences after an exciting 2025 festival tour, including screenings at iconic festivals like Rotterdam (IFFR) and Sitges. Crafted specifically for young audiences, ‘Bokshi’ is a horror film made to be experienced on the big screen.”
Originally from Biswanath in Assam, Saikia is based in Mumbai and is the founder of Lorien Motion Pictures. A graduate of The University of Manchester, he studied filmmaking at Whistling Woods International after moving to Mumbai in 2011.
Saikia began his career as the producer of the independent feature Kaafiron Ki Namaaz in 2014. His earlier directorial works include the short films Awakenings and The Black Cat, the latter being an adaptation of a Ruskin Bond story that earned nominations for Best Director and Best Fiction Film at the Critics’ Choice Short Film Awards in 2018.
Written by debutant screenwriter Harsh Vaibhav, Bokshi follows Anahita, a troubled teenager whose school trek to a remote prehistoric site uncovers links to an ancient legend, drawing her into a mystery where myth and reality intersect.
Harsh Vaibhav, who also serves as the film’s executive producer, said, “Bokshi is a fearless story about power, belief, and the narratives that shape us. We can’t wait for audiences to experience its world in theatres this October.”
The film stars Prasanna Bisht, Mansi Multani and Siddharth Shaw in lead roles, while Shernaz Patel lends her voice to the titular character. It features dialogue in Hindi, English and Nepali, along with Boksirit, a fictional language created specifically for the film by Dutch linguist Jan van Steenbergen.
According to the makers, Bokshi is the second Indian feature film after Baahubali to feature a fully developed fictional language.
Shot over more than 80 days in the forests of Sikkim, the film relies primarily on practical effects instead of heavy CGI or visual effects.
The film has cinematography by A. Vasanth and Siddharth Sivasankaran, editing by Himanshu Saikia, sound design by Dhiman Karmakar and music by Advait Nemlekar. Its Indian theatrical distribution will be handled by Sethumadhavan Napan.