Kan Singh Sodha
Filmmaker, producer and serial entrepreneur Kan Singh Sodha has quietly built a diverse cinematic journey spanning award-winning short films, Bengali and Hindi feature films, and acting performances, alongside a strong entrepreneurial legacy. As the Founder-Director of KSS Productions & Entertainment, he now steps into bold new territory with Zorr, a genre-defying horror-comedy-thriller rooted in Indian behaviour, rhythm and humour. As Zorr hits theatres on January 16, Sodha speaks about storytelling, risk, and creating cinema that entertains while staying deeply local.
A tete-a-tete with the makerâ¦
Q1. You are known as both a filmmaker and a serial entrepreneur. How do these worlds come together for you?
A: For me, entrepreneurship and cinema follow the same principles - vision, discipline and execution. My business journey has taught me scale and structure, while filmmaking keeps me emotionally grounded. Together, they help me create cinema that is both creative and practical.
Q2. You've worked across feature films, short films, acting and production. What excites you most about storytelling today?
A: The freedom to move across formats. A short film like Dadi Ka Murabba demands precision, while a feature like Zorr demands scale and rhythm. What excites me most is the opportunity to leave a message for society, while also getting inspired by society itself - telling stories that reflect who we are, emotionally and culturally, while remaining entertaining.
Q3. Dadi Ka Murabba received international recognition. What did that success mean to you?
A: It reinforced my belief that rooted stories travel far. The film's recognition at festivals in Rome, Dublin, Beverly Hills and Munich showed that honesty in storytelling resonates universally.
Q4. You have also acted in several films. How has that experience shaped you as a producer and director?
A: Acting teaches you vulnerability and timing. It helps me understand what an actor needs on set, which is especially important in genres that demand precision.
Q5. You produced several Bengali films before entering Hindi cinema. How has that journey shaped your creative voice?
A: Before stepping into production, I consciously studied filmmaking to truly understand the craft and the production process. Bengali cinema, in particular, instills deep respect for storytelling and performance. Films like Thammar Boyfriend, 8/12 - Binoy Badal Dinesh, Mrityupathojatri and Shrimati helped ground my creative sensibilities and strengthened my understanding of cinema from the inside out.
Q6. Zorr marks a genre shift for you. What inspired this leap?
A: Zorr allowed me to explore a genre India hasn't truly embraced - zombie-driven horror-comedy rooted in Indian behaviour. The fear, confusion and sudden humour felt very organic to our cultural rhythm.
Q7. What makes Zorr visually and tonally different from other horror films?
A: Everything is homegrown - from prosthetics and makeup to close-quarter action. We wanted the fear and humour to feel local, immediate and authentic.
Q8. You were personally involved in guiding the cast and crew. Why was that important?
A: Question No 8 - Horror-comedy can easily collapse if the tone is even slightly off. That's why I was personally involved in the initial stages and sat with the director, Gourab Dutta, to clearly understand his vision-especially how horror and comedy needed to collaborate rather than clash. After that, Gourab Dutta personally sat with the cast and crew and spent considerable time with them to ensure everyone understood the emotional core of the film. This alignment helped maintain balanced performances and ensured that both fear and humour worked seamlessly together.
Q9. Any memorable moments from the sets?
A: Ironically, the scariest scenes often ended in laughter once the camera cut. That contrast became the spirit of Zorr. Being involved in acting as well made those moments even more special, as it allowed me to experience the rhythm of fear and comedy from both sides of the camera.
Q10. What were the biggest challenges during production?
A: Maintaining pace and harmony on set. Comedy needs timing and horror needs atmosphere. To bring balance between the crew and performers, I often found myself playing a role similar to the captain in Chak De India - keeping everyone motivated, aligned and moving together without exhausting the audience or the team.
Q11. How do you see Zorr positioning itself among current releases?
A: With its unique setting, ensemble cast and visual language, Zorr stands out as one of the most unconventional releases of the season.
Q12. Finally, what would you like to say to audiences?
A: Zorr is meant to be experienced in a theatre - where fear, laughter and thrill are shared. I invite audiences to watch Zorr in theatres on January 16 and enjoy a completely new, homegrown genre experience.
