Dahaan: The Evil Within is an Odia-language supernatural horror thriller that was released in theatres on September 11, 2026. The film is directed and written by National Award-winning filmmaker Anupam Patnaik.
The story follows a young girl who discovers a mysterious box inside a haunted mansion. When she opens it, she unknowingly unleashes an ancient and malicious spirit that begins to consume her. Her siblings and a local pastor must race against time to break the curse before it is too late.
The film stars Barsha Nayak, Aurosikha Mishra, Samrat Mahapatra and Partha Sarathi Ray in key roles. Choudhury Jayaprakash Das also appears in the cast.
Dahaan: The Evil Within was produced by Barsha Patnaik and Anupam Patnaik under the banner of Amiya Patnaik Productions. The music and background score were composed by Ashish Pradhan, while Deepak Kumar served as the cinematographer.
A special screening of the film was held in Mumbai on September 8, 2026. Actress Isha Talwar attended the event and praised the film. She said: ‘Actually, I’m watching a horror movie after a long time, and I’m genuinely scared—so that’s a good thing. If a horror movie makes you laugh instead of scaring you, I think that’s a problem. But I think this film is shot very well, and I’m really enjoying the story so far. It’s not very predictable; you know, things in horror movies can sometimes become quite predictable, but that’s not the case here. And that’s why I’m really enjoying the film. The performances are very good—very natural—and I like the music and the cinematography. I’m looking forward to the second half.’
When asked whether the film should be released in Hindi for wider audiences, Isha Talwar said: ‘Absolutely, why not? A film is a film, and I think good movies should be available in every language.’
A premiere show was also held at Maharaja Cinema Hall in Bhubaneswar. The makers have described Dahaan as Odisha’s first complete family-oriented horror film, aiming to offer a supernatural story that can be enjoyed by a wider audience.
The film received an A certificate from the censor board, reflecting the intensity of its horror sequences. Dahaan: The Evil Within is currently available to watch in theatres. It is not yet available on any streaming platform in India.
