Karan-Zoya's 'Ghost Stories' to go into production
After "Lust Stories", filmmakers Karan Johar, Zoya Akhtar, Dibakar Banerjee and Anurag Kashyap are coming together to spread some chills with "Ghost Stories" and they are looking forward to explore the genre and experiment.
Production of Netflix's "Ghost Stories" will begin in August. The stories, directed by the filmmakers, will be thematically connected to each other and culminate in the end.
For Karan, directing a horror film is not only challenging, but also an exciting opportunity.
"I have always been mortified to watch the horror genre and have always stayed very far away from any ghost story! So to direct one is not only hugely challenging but also exceptionally exciting," Karan said.
"Personally it's uncharted terrain and I couldn't have chosen a better platform and a more eclectic collective to exhibit my fear of ghosts and ghost stories! This one's going to be a nightmare for this dream team," he added.
"Ghost Stories" is the third collaboration between Netflix and RSVP. Produced by Ronnie Screwvala and RSVP, in association with Ashi Dua of Flying Unicorn Entertainment, "Ghost Stories" will stream to 151 million members across 190 countries.
"As a writer/director, I thrive on bending genres and inverting tropes and I am so looking forward to attempting that with a ghost story," Zoya said.
Dibakar feels horror as a genre has incredible room to experiment and explore.
"'Ghost Stories' is my attempt to do that, and it's great to have a partner in Netflix with whom I have the freedom to tell the story as envisioned. Ultimately we are entertainers, and there's nothing like a spine-chilling story, scaring the devil out of us while we're safely tucked in our sofa munching fries," he added.
Kashyap, who has collaborated with Netflix on multiple occasions, said: "I am really looking forward to challenging myself to make something that I have never attempted before. Also I have never prepared so much for anything before."
Srishti Behl Arya, director International Originals at Netflix - India, feels there is an appetite for horror in India.
"We did 'Lust Stories', which did super well on the service...So, when these guys came to us and said awhat if we come up with another anthology and this time we tell scary stories', we got very excited," Arya told IANS.
Released in June last year, "Lust Stories" show stories on love and lust. The short stories feature actors including Radhika Apte, Manisha Koirala, Vicky Kaushal, Bhumi Pednekar and Kiara Advani. It became Netflix's largest-watched original in percentage terms in any individual market in its first month.
What are the 'Ghost Stories'?
"Some of the stuff have come out (somewhere), and some of the stuff is from the top of their mind. Incredibly talented -- Karan, Zoya, Anurag and Dibakar will bring their own twist to what you expect a ghost story to be. We are hoping to serve to all the customer who enjoyed 'Lust Stories'," Arya added.