Shaitaan: Vikas Bahl opens up about directing supernatural thriller

Despite his limited knowledge of supernatural thrillers, Vikas Bahl took on the directorial role for “Shaitaan,” featuring Ajay Devgn, Jyotika, and R Madhavan. Explaining his decision to lead the film, Vikas shared, “I don’t really watch supernatural thrillers or horror movies, so my knowledge of that genre as a viewer is very little. But when I heard the story of Shaitaan, I totally loved it, and I felt that this story really had to be told. At the same time, it was so challenging for me to tell a story in a genre that I am a novice in. So, I thought, let me take up this challenge and see where it goes. And I must say, it’s been a great experience working on Shaitaan and creating it.”

Before starting the shoot, Vikas conducted extensive research to familiarize himself with the genre. “Like I said, I don’t really watch this genre, and I never thought I would be venturing into it. So, actually, like a school kid, we used to sit and watch videos, read, and watch other films. The whole team would sit in a room, and we would actually try to study. It was almost like going back to school, trying to understand how these films are made, how the camera works, how the action works, how scenes work, and how emotions work. So, I told my team, ‘Let’s all sit, learn, and be sure that we know how to pull this off.’ Going back to school and feeling nervous before we hit the floor was a really good experience, and I wish I could do it again and again, in new genres, in new films, and always be challenged to see how I can pull them off,” Vikas shared.