If we look at the filmography of Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidwani’s Excel Entertainment, they have mostly made films in the lighthearted zone. They have produced romantic comedies like Dil Chahta Hai, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, and Dil Dhadakne Do; action films like Don and Raees; and thrillers like Karthik Calling Karthik and Talaash. Even for the OTT platforms, the company has so far produced a sports thriller, a crime drama, and a slice-of-life show. Excel Entertainment has explored every genre in the past 21 years of its operation, except horror. Although they recently made Katrina Kaif, Ishaan Khatter, and Sidhhant Chaturvedi starrer horror-comedy, Phone Bhoot, the film barely caused fear and was more of a badly made comedy, full of errors.
However, in 2023, Excel Entertainment is all set to delve into the horror genre. Peepingmoon.com has exclusively learned that the production banner is making a supernatural thriller series for Amazon Prime Video. The show has tentatively been titled "Unseen" and stars Surveen Chawla, Prajakta Koli, Priya Bapat, and Pranay Manchanda in the lead roles. It’s said to be a multi-season show with an eerie storyline filled with thrilling and jump-scary moments that will leave audiences on the edge of their seats. Raghav Dhar, who has previously helmed the Prateik Babbar and Kalki Koechlin-starring musical comedy My Friend Pinto (2011), will direct this show. The project has already gone on floors and will premiere sometime in the second half of 2023.
Amazon Prime Video has lately been tapping horror territory in India and has greenlit multiple horror shows across languages in the past year. They have already announced three projects in the genre, and this Excel Entertainment production is only the latest addition to their horror slate, which also includes Nikkhil Advani’s Adhura, starring Ishwak Singh and Rasika Dugal; Naga Chaitanya and Parvathy Thiruvothu’s Telugu series, Dhootha; and Arya’s The Village, based on a graphic novel, which follows a family on a road trip that falls victim to a clan of mutants. All three shows are presently in the post-production stage and will premiere in 2023.
Excel Entertainment, meanwhile, has a variety of films and series lined up for next year. While Ravi Udyawar’s actioner starring Siddhant Chaturvedi and Malavika Mohanan, Mrigdeep Singh Lamba’s Fukrey 3, and Arjun Varain Singh’s Kho Gaye Hum Kahaan are ready for release, Rahul Dholakia’s Agni and Emraan Hashmi's Ground Zero are currently in production. The company is also gearing up to roll out Kunal Kemmu’s directorial debut, Madgaon Express, and Farhan Akhtar’s star-studded road-trip film, Jee Le Zara, in the coming year. On the OTT front, Excel Entertainment has five web series in the pipeline: Reema Kagti’s serial killer drama, Dahaad, starring Sonakshi Sinha, Vijay Varma, Gulshan Devaiah, and Sohum Shah; Shujaat Saudagar’s Bambai Meri Jaan, starring Kay Kay Menon, Avinash Tiwary, and Kritika Kamra; the third season of the highly anticipated Mirzapur; and two web shows for Netflix India, titled Dabba Cartel and Queen of the Hill.
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