Dahaan
Verdict: Dahaan: The Evil Within delivers an atmospheric, old-school haunted house horror with some genuinely eerie moments, but it leans on familiar genre tropes and uneven pacing that keep it from becoming a standout. It works best as a theatre watch for horror fans craving a regional supernatural thriller this festive season.
Pros:
- Strong atmosphere and set design in the haunted mansion portions
- Committed performances, especially from the female leads
- A few effective scare sequences and sound design moments
Cons:
- Pacing dips noticeably in the middle stretch
- Some visual effects and possession scenes feel inconsistent
About Dahaan: The Evil Within (2026)
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Title | Dahaan: The Evil Within |
| Directed by | Anupam Patnaik |
| Written by | Anupam Patnaik (story & screenplay), Pranab Prasanna Rath (dialogues) |
| Produced by | Anupam Patnaik, Barsha Patnaik |
| Cast | Barsha Patnaik, Aurosikha Mishra, Samrat Mohapatra, Partha Sarathi Ray, Choudhury Jayaprakash Das, Navya Jaiti |
| Cinematography | Deepak Kumar |
| Music by | Ashish Pradhan |
| Production Company | Amiya Patnaik Production |
| Release Date | 11 September 2026 |
| Country | India |
| Language | Odia |
| Genre | Supernatural Horror-Thriller |
| Censor Rating | A |
The plot centres on a family living in an old ancestral estate that has been holding onto a locked box and a debt nobody wants to talk about. When a young girl in the family opens the box, she unknowingly frees a malicious spirit that begins to consume her.
Her elder sister and younger brother, along with a local pastor, then race against time to break the curse before it’s too late. It’s a classic possession and exorcism setup, but told through a distinctly Odia lens with folklore tinged family drama woven in.
Early reactions circulating on social platforms around the release paint a fairly mixed but not unkind picture. Several viewers have praised the film’s visual mood, particularly the haunted mansion sets and the deliberate, moody camera work that gives the horror a slow burn, classic feel rather than relying only on jump scares.
Performances have come in for decent praise too, with the lead actresses playing the cursed girl and her protective sister being singled out as the emotional anchors of the film. A few viewers have also appreciated the makeup and prosthetics work used for the possession scenes, calling it a step up for Odia horror productions.
On the flip side, common complaints point to the film feeling stretched in its second act, with some viewers finding the exorcism portions repetitive. A section of the audience has also flagged the visual effects as inconsistent, working well in some scenes and looking noticeably weaker in others.
Overall sentiment seems to land somewhere in the middle: appreciative of the ambition and atmosphere, but not fully won over by the execution throughout.
Disclaimer: This review is based on publicly available audience reactions and discussions on X at the time of writing. Individual opinions may vary.
