‘Andhar’ teaser unveils horror and mystery, sparks audience curiosity

Commercial horror films are still relatively rare in Bangladesh. So, filmmaker Raihan Rafi’s Andhar has generated considerable curiosity among audiences from the very beginning. A series of visuals released as part of the film’s promotional campaign has only heightened that interest. Some offered glimpses of mystery, while others created an eerie atmosphere, sparking widespread discussion on social media.

The wait finally ended on Thursday (September 3), when the 1-minute-26-second teaser of Andhar was released at 7pm as announced. Published on the YouTube channel of 221B Films, the teaser quickly generated discussion among viewers and raised fresh questions about the film.

As with Rafi’s previous films, the teaser for Andhar contains no dialogue. Instead, it relies on atmospheric music, the characters’ looks and a series of striking visuals. However, it offers no direct clues about the storyline.

The teaser features the film’s principal cast, including Afsana Mimi, Gazi Rakayet, Chanchal Chowdhury, Nazifa Tushi, Siam Ahmed and Mustafa Monwar. The visuals maintain a distinctly grey and ominous tone throughout, while also offering glimpses of several action sequences featuring Siam Ahmed.

The story was written by Shakib Chowdhury of Cryptic Fate and Saidus Salehin Sumon of Aurthohin. Adnan Adib Khan is also involved in the story development. The two band musicians have long been interested in folk tales and supernatural incidents from different parts of Bangladesh. The idea for Andhar grew out of the ghost stories and experiences they collected while travelling across various regions of the country.

According to the director and production house, Andhar is one of the biggest-budget productions in Bangladesh’s horror genre. A significant portion of the film relies on VFX and graphic animation, with the work carried out over several months at a studio in Mumbai.

Raihan Rafi believes Andhar can help fill the long-standing void in Bangladesh’s horror film genre. Most of the film was shot in Gazipur and Mymensingh.

Andhar is expected to hit cinemas in October.