The growing interest in the genre of horror and supernatural thrillers in the Hindi film industry has the digital medium following suit. Juggernaut Productions has acquired the adaptation rights to Neil D'Silva and Jay Alani's Haunted for their next production. The series will be taken up by the platform, Story Ink, which specialises in creating video content based on book adaptations.
One of the most popular titles in non-fiction horror genre, Haunted chronicles the real-life adventures of paranormal investigator Alani in 10 of the spookiest locations in India. These exploits provide a ringside view of the hair-raising paranormal journeys for anyone interested in exploring the dark side of the normal.
Samar Khan, COO, Juggernaut Productions, said, “With the arrival of digital platforms the scope for differentiated stories has quadrupled. For a 360-degree content creation hub, this is a great opportunity allowing us to work on a variety of tales across genres, including supernatural stories from Haunted. We look forward to start working on the onscreen adaptation and hope that the retelling will be as gripping and exciting as the book.”
Khan previously directed the Rahul Bose, Kay Kay Menon-starrer, Shaurya (2008). Sidharth Jain, founder, producer, The Story Ink, said, “Juggernaut Productions was my first choice as a producer for Haunted and I am confident that Samar and the team will do a terrific job to scare the audience with these real experiences."
Paranormal investigator Alani said, "Haunted is not just a book; it's a journey, a journey that depicts the reality of the paranormal as seen by me, which made me realize that the scariest entity on this planet are humans, not ghosts. As a paranormal investigator, it has been a tough journey for me. I have been bitten by snakes, attacked by wolves, survived on leaves and the most impure water. This was all to discover the reality of this dark world which has been expressed beautifully by Neil D'Silva in Haunted. I am sure Mr Khan and his team at Juggernaut will do great justice to its screen adaptation."
D’Silva, known for his horror novels Maya's New Husband, Yakshini and Haunted said, "The stories of Jay's paranormal investigations in the most haunted locations of India as written by me are both shocking and educational at the same time. While they cater to the sensibilities of horror fans, they also show us a grim reality of the other side that is not often showcased. I am glad that Haunted will have a screen version with Juggernaut Productions, for now this gritty truth of Indian horror will reach out to many”.