PremiumShakti Shalini: Kiara Advani joins Maddock Horror Comedy Universe with a very interesting director on board?
The world has been curious to know more about Shakti Shalini that was announced by Maddock in their recent slate and here's a breakthrough.
Last Updated: 05.02 PM, Jan 08, 2025
On January 2, 2025, Maddock Pictures decided to treat the fans of their Horror Comedy Universe with a slate announcement that was touted to be at par with the Marvel Cinematic Universe and DCU. The slate came with some major announcements, including Stree 3, Bhediya 2, Maha Munjya, Thama, and more. But there were two very new entries that we hadn’t heard about until then: Shakti Shalini and Chamunda. Fans have been eager to find out what these two movies are about and who will be cast in them. It seems there is now a breakthrough in Shakti Shalini, and reports suggest the movie might be headlined by Kiara Advani. The makers have even chosen a director, and it’s a very unconventional and brave choice for their series.
Kiara Advani On Board for Shakti Shalini?
For the unversed, last year there were rumors that Kiara Advani was in talks for a Maddock film with Dinesh Vijan. It was said that the movie in discussion was one that would lay the foundation for a franchise and grow beyond just one installment. It turns out they were mostly discussing Shakti Shalini, and now rumors say that Kiara Advani is indeed on board to star in the movie as the leading lady. That is indeed an interesting choice. What is even more interesting is the director. Read on to know more about this.
For Shakti Shalini, according to Peeping Moon, Dinesh Vijan has not relied on his usual choices but brought in a new face as the director of the film. The movie, headlined by Kiara Advani, will be directed by Ajitpal Singh. The filmmaker is widely popular for his SonyLIV show Tabbar, which is said to be one of the best in the Indian streaming space. Singh has also directed the award-winning short film Rammat-Gammat, which won an award at the Oberhausen International Short Film Festival in 2018. His film Fire in the Mountains premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2021.
About Shakti Shalini
The Punjab-born filmmaker will bring a completely new flavor to this universe, as he is a fresh name in the directors' roster. There is no clarity yet on whether Ajitpal Singh will also be writing the script. Meanwhile, the same reports confirm that Kiara Advani will play the titular character, and the story is again inspired by Indian folklore but will adapt a fresh narrative. The movie is set to go on floors in April-May 2025 and is expected to hit the big screen on December 31, 2025.
Shakti Shalini marks the fifth standalone movie in the universe, following Stree, Bhediya, Munjya, and Thama. The saga will continue with Bhediya 2, Chamunda, Stree 3, and Maha Munjya, all leading up to a climactic two-part event, Pehla Mahayudh and Doosara Mahayudh, in 2028. Meanwhile, Kiara Advani will be next seen in Game Changer and has War 2 and Toxic in her kitty.
Stay tuned to OTTplay for more information on this and everything else from the world of streaming and films.