After her intense role in Haq, Yami Gautam is now stepping into a new genre with a horror-comedy produced by Aanand L Rai. The film is expected to go on floors in February this year
Yami Gautam and Kriti Sanon
Horror-comedy has quietly turned into Hindi cinema’s most reliable crowd-pleaser these days. Everyone, it seems, wants in. So, why shouldn’t Yami Gautam have a piece of it, especially after her heavy-duty turn in the social courtroom drama, Haq (2025), which had an OTT release last week. mid-day has exclusively learnt that Gautam has been locked to headline a horror-comedy in Aanand L Rai’s next production. Titled Nayi Naveli, the film is set to go on floors in February.
“It will mark Yami’s first collaboration with Colour Yellow [Rai’s production house]. It will be a new territory for Yami. It’s an ensemble film,” says a source.
Aanand L Rai
The horror-comedy rooted in Indian folklore and mythology is penned by Divy Nidhi Sharma, who previously wrote Aamir Khan’s Sitaare Zameen Par (2025), Laapataa Ladies (2024), and Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar (2024), among others. This is Sharma’s second collaboration with Rai after the yet-unreleased romance Nakhrewaalii.
“The humour is atypical of Aanand L Rai’s slice-of-life productions. After Haq, Yami was looking to do something in a lighter zone, but with substance. Nayi Naveli is that perfect combination because while it’s a funny film, it’s not without elements that offer intrigue and emotionality. It is being envisioned on a big scale,” says an insider. While the script is ready, the film is currently in pre-production, and the rest of the cast is still being locked, adds another insider. Nayi Naveli will reportedly be helmed by Tamil filmmaker Balaji Mohan, of Maari (2015) fame, marking his Hindi directorial debut.
Also in the works
Aanand L Rai is reportedly also planning his third film with South star Dhanush, after ‘Raanjhanaa’ (2013) and ‘Tere Ishk Mein’ (2025)
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