Name : The Vvaan: Force of the Forest

Cast: Sidharth Malhotra, Tamannaah Bhatia, Sunil Grover, Shweta Tiwari, Anup Soni, Maniesh Paul, Durgesh Kumar
Director: Deepak Kumar Mishra
Rating: 4 Moons

Storyline

The Vvaan follows Rishi (Sidharth Malhotra), a city-bred man who doesn’t believe in God or the supernatural. At his wife (Tamannaah Bhatia) Mamta’s insistence, he travels with her to his ancestral village in Bihar for Chhath Puja. What begins as a reluctant family visit takes an unexpected turn when Veer encounters the village’s deep-rooted faith in Van Devi and the mysterious forest surrounding her temple. As he gets drawn deeper into the folklore, Veer’s disbelief is challenged and he finds himself connected to a divine force in ways he never imagined. 

Acting

Sidharth Malhotra is impressive as Rishi.  He handles the character’s initial disbelief, emotional turmoil, action and supernatural journey with confidence, while his screen presence keeps the film anchored. Tamannaah Bhatia brings warmth to her part, but it is the supporting cast that adds considerable depth to the world. Shweta Tiwari deserves special mention for her performance, while Sunil Grover steps into a darker space and makes his presence felt. Anup Soni and Durgesh Kumar also add to the rootedness of the film.

Direction

Deepak Kumar Mishra brings a distinctly rooted flavour to The Vvaan. Instead of relying only on conventional horror tropes, the film builds its world around Bihar’s folklore, village traditions, Chhath and the beliefs surrounding Van Devi. The mix of mythology, emotion, action and occasional humour works well. The strongest aspect is that the film allows its setting and folklore to become characters in themselves. Mishra, who has previously been associated with TVF’s rooted storytelling, gives the film a grounded quality even when the story enters the supernatural zone.

Dialogues

The dialogues are one of the film’s strongest elements. The monologues, in particular, land with impact and several of them genuinely give you goosebumps. The writing manages to bring together faith, disbelief and the emotional conflict at the centre of Rishi’s journey without making every conversation sound overly philosophical.

Music

The music beautifully complements the film’s spiritual and folkloric setting. From the devotional Chhathi Maiya to the more energetic moments, the album covers different moods. But what makes the music even more special is the small, familiar touch of Sharda Sinha’s OG Chhath folk sound, which instantly connects the film to the cultural soul of Bihar. That little musical chunk is memorable and makes the soundtrack feel more complete.

Overall

The Vvaan is a delightful blend of folklore, comedy, emotion and Chhathi Maiya, with a genuinely rooted Bihar setting giving it a distinct identity. It is definitely a must-watch.