Mumbai: Ahead of its nationwide theatrical release, the much-awaited Odia horror film ‘Dahaan – The Evil Within’ held a special premiere in Mumbai, marking a significant and memorable moment for contemporary Odia cinema.

The special screening brought together an eclectic gathering of invited guests, including personalities from the Bollywood fraternity, prominent influencers, content creators and cinema enthusiasts from across the country. Several guests travelled specially to Mumbai to attend the premiere of the supernatural horror film.
Filmmaker Anupam Patnaik and producer-actor Barsha Patnaik hosted the evening, welcoming the guests and interacting with the audience ahead of the screening. Actor Sanoj Kumar, along with other members of the Dahaan team, was also present on the occasion.

The screening turned into an exciting celebration of horror and regional cinema, with the audience responding enthusiastically to the film's atmospheric storytelling, chilling moments, performances and supernatural narrative. The encouraging response from guests after the screening reflected appreciation for the film's attempt to present an Odia horror story on a distinctive cinematic scale.

The Mumbai premiere was particularly significant for Odia cinema, as dedicated special previews of Odia films for Mumbai's film fraternity remain rare. The showcase placed Dahaan – The Evil Within among the few Odia films to receive such a platform in the heart of India's Hindi film industry.

For the makers, the premiere was more than just a promotional event. It was an effort to take contemporary Odia cinema beyond its traditional boundaries and introduce its stories, artistes and filmmaking talent to a wider audience across India.

Presented by Amiya Patnaik Productions, Dahaan – The Evil Within is a gothic supernatural possession horror film directed by National Award-winning filmmaker Anupam Patnaik.

The film has been produced by Barsha Patnaik and Anupam Patnaik, with Deepak Kumar serving as Director of Photography. Ashish Pradhan has composed the music and background score, while Rashmi Ranjan Dash has edited the film. The dialogues have been written by Pranab Prasanna Rath, with Shakti Swaroop Dwibedy handling the sound design. Gopal Ghadei serves as Executive Producer and Dibyajyoti Mohanty as Line Producer.

With its atmospheric setting, supernatural mythology and gothic horror treatment, Dahaan – The Evil Within promises to bring a fresh flavour to contemporary Odia horror cinema.

Following the enthusiastic response at its Mumbai premiere, the film is now gearing up for its theatrical journey. ‘Dahaan – The Evil Within’ will hit theatres across India on September 11, 2026.