Bhargav Saikia, whose feature debut, ‘Bokshi,’ premiered at the International Film Festival of Rotterdam (IFFR) 2025, on why horror is not just about ghosts, the process of making Bokshi, and more
Bhargav Saikia’s feature debut Bokshi, which premiered at the International Film Festival of Rotterdam (IFFR) 2025, is a compelling entry into the roster of Indian horror cinema. Blending folklore, psychological tension, and a distinctly atmospheric aesthetic, it is a slow-burn fare, set in a high-school and deeply rooted in the mystical traditions of Sikkim, that prioritises mood over jump scares. Saikia, who comes from Assam and is currently based in Mumbai, has already carved a niche as an indie filmmaker. His horror short Awakenings (2015) made its mark at Sitges and Neuchâtel, while The Black Cat (2017), a fantastical adaptation of Ruskin Bond’s story, earned Critics’ Choice Short Film Award nominations for Best Fiction Film and Best Director. But with Bokshi, he steps into the long form, a labyrinthine, full-blooded horror story that is as much about trauma and mythology as it is about eerie atmospherics.
“History is like gravity, a force of nature, weighing down on us,” declares history teacher Shalini (Mansi Multani), a character whose placid demeanour masks a terrifying intent. Her student, 17-year-old Anahita (Prasanna Bisht), is haunted by the disappearance of her mother. When Shalini takes the class on an excursion to a mysterious prehistoric site, Anahita finds herself drawn to her teacher — only to discover that Shalini’s mentorship is underpinned by dark, unfathomable designs. As the students approach their destination, the boundaries between past and present dissolve, leaving Anahita face-to-face with an unrelenting horror rooted in history, myth, creation and the idea of Earth as mother.
The genesis of Bokshi
For Saikia, who eschews the clichés of the genre in favour of an aesthetic that recalls the slow, meditative horror of global auteurs like Apichatpong Weerasethakul and Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Bokshi is deeply personal, stitched together from childhood memories, horror cinema influences, and an obsession with folklore. “I’ve grown up in a boarding school in Assam. I’ve spent a considerable amount of time in boarding schools — around eight years. Every year, we were sent on these annual expeditions,” he recalls. “One particular trip from when I was in Class 7 remains with me. We went to Arunachal Pradesh, to a place called Dirang, and camped next to a river. Right beside our campsite was a Hindu cremation ground. That trip was filled with dread — there was a constant presence of eeriness. A group of us got lost while trekking and returned very late to the campsite. I’ve been fascinated by horror stories since childhood — Ramsay Brothers’ films, for instance — so this trip left an indelible mark. I knew that when I made my first feature, I wanted to evoke that feeling.”
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But Bokshi wasn’t always going to be about Sikkim. In an accidental slip of memory, Saikia told his writer, Harsh Vaibhav, that his haunting school trip had taken place in Sikkim instead of Arunachal Pradesh. “If I had remembered correctly, Bokshi would have been a completely different film, set in Arunachal, shaped by its distinct folklore. Instead, we ended up in Sikkim, learning about their myths, speaking to locals, and absorbing the culture. Bokshi was born out of that.”
History, myth, and the feminism
Saikia’s approach to horror is deliberate, layered with meaning beyond mere genre thrills. “When Harsh and I began working on the script, we knew we didn’t want to make a generic horror film. We wanted it to have a voice beyond just being scary. The myths of Sikkim, the cultural stories we uncovered, they shaped our themes. Bokshi is, at its core, a feminist film. The idea of ecology and the feminine run parallel to each other — Mother Earth, nurturing yet betrayed. The film centres on themes of environmental degradation, the destruction of nature, and how humans have forsaken the very force that gives them life,” says Saikia.
In Bokshi, nature is both a source of power and a realm of reckoning. “In Sikkim, nature is sacred. People worship spirits as guardians. These beliefs wove their way into the narrative. The horror isn’t just about ghosts or demons; it’s about something primal, something we have lost sight of in our world,” adds Saikia. The film’s structure also defies conventional horror tropes. “The animated bits aren’t just there for stylistic flair. They’re thematically connected to what we’re trying to say in the film. Before I shoot, I like to have 90% of the film in my mind. Certain things change on set, but the core of what Bokshi wants to say was always clear to me.”
‘Making it became like a monster’
Anahita struggles to let go of deep-seated childhood trauma while simultaneously discovering a hidden aspect of herself. Her journey is aided by Shalini, her history teacher, who plays a key role in guiding Anahita through this transformation. “Trauma is central to this film,” Saikia asserts. “Our protagonist has to let go of this trauma for something else to happen.”
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With independent cinema gaining prominence over the past few years, Saikia reflects on the challenges and triumphs of working outside the commercial mainstream. “Making a film is not that difficult anymore,” he notes, thanks to advancements in digital technology and accessibility to filmmaking tools. However, the struggle lies in distribution and exhibition. “Look at the number of independent films from India making waves at major festivals. But where do we watch them?”
The lack of dedicated platforms for indie films in India poses a big obstacle. While streaming services have provided some relief, the absence of a strong independent theatrical culture remains a pressing issue. “There are no dedicated distributors who understand how to market indie films,” Saikia explains. “There is an audience, but we haven’t figured out how to cater to them effectively.”
For Bokshi, Saikia had the advantage of securing funding, a privilege he acknowledges is not shared by all indie filmmakers. Still, mounting the film on a certain scale brought its own set of challenges. “Bokshi became like a little monster for me,” he admits. “I didn’t have a second producer on board, and making a film of this magnitude as an indie filmmaker was a huge challenge.” Despite financial and logistical hurdles, the film came together through the collective effort of a bunch of passionate people — many of whom make their debut in Bokshi.
‘Indie filmmakers mush push their film’
Encouragingly, there are signs of change. The Assam government, for instance, has been taking steps to support independent Assamese films, offering a glimmer of hope for regional filmmakers. But Saikia stressed on the need for a more structured, national-level funding system akin to what exists in Europe, where government-backed initiatives bolster indie productions. “When you look at independent filmmaking in the West, the majority of productions have some form of government funding. We need that system to come back.”
For many indie filmmakers, securing a slot at a major international festival serves as a critical step toward securing distribution and broader recognition. Saikia acknowledges the impact of such platforms. “A major festival tag lends credibility — not just to the filmmaker, but to the film itself,” he says. “It’s a tiny step towards an eventual release.” With Bokshi having made its world premiere at the RIFF, Saikia is already seeing interest from industry professionals and distributors. “We released the teaser in December, and with the Rotterdam tag, I’ve received queries from well-known companies about my plans for the film and my future projects.”
However, Saikia insists that festivals alone are not enough. Indie filmmakers must actively push their film in the industry. “It’s important to carefully and strategically position the film — create an aura around it that intrigues audiences,” he says. In a market saturated with content, the key lies in finding innovative ways to engage viewers and generate buzz.
Ultimately, the struggles of independent filmmaking in India are counterbalanced by the sheer determination and passion of storytellers like Saikia. “Despite all the limitations, the volume of independent cinema in India is only growing,” he notes. From grassroots filmmakers creating compelling stories within limited means to festival darlings gaining international acclaim, the indie space is thriving, even as it grapples with structural hurdles.