The Vvaan Review: Sidharth Malhotra & Tamannaah Bhatia’s Folklore Fantasy Is Visually Intriguing

Bollywood has often turned to mythology and folklore to tell larger-than-life stories, but The Vvaan: Force of the Forrest attempts to build its world around a lesser-explored piece of Indian folklore. Set against the backdrop of Bihar, the film brings together an ancient legend, a mysterious forest, Van Devi, faith, superstition and a modern-day conflict.

Directed by Deepak Kumar Mishra, known for Panchayat, the film marks a very different cinematic outing for the filmmaker. The biggest attraction is its attempt to create a rooted fantasy world rather than simply presenting another conventional horror story. The Vvaan is not consistently frightening, nor does its screenplay completely live up to the potential of its mythology. However, its atmosphere, performances, folklore-driven premise and visual ambition make it an engaging watch. The film works better as a fantasy adventure with mystery and supernatural elements than as a pure horror film.

Director: Deepak Kumar Mishra

Producer: Arunabh Kumar, Shobha Kapoor, Ektaa Kapoor, Niraj Kothari

Cast: Sidharth Malhotra, Tamannaah Bhatia, Sunil Grover, Maniesh Paul, Shweta Tiwari, Anup Soni

Where to Watch: In Theatres

Run Time: 2 hours 17 minutes

Rating: 3.5/5 

The story begins in the mysterious Devanchal forest, where a temple dedicated to Van Devi stands at the centre of an age-old belief. The villagers have been warned never to enter the forest after sunset. According to the legend, disturbing the sacred space could unleash forces beyond human understanding. The narrative initially takes us into the past before eventually shifting to 2026, where the ancient mystery begins affecting the present. 

Sidharth Malhotra plays Rishi, a rational urban man who returns to his ancestral village. Unlike the villagers, Rishi does not immediately believe in their stories about the forest or Van Devi. But as he gets closer to the mystery, his rational worldview begins to collide with things that cannot easily be explained through logic. The screenplay also brings in elements of land conflict, development, greed, faith and the relationship between humans and nature. This gives the film more layers than a straightforward supernatural thriller.

The first half is particularly effective in establishing the world. The mystery surrounding the forest gradually builds, while the folklore gives the narrative a distinct Indian identity. However, the second half is less consistent. Once the central mystery becomes clearer, the film moves towards a more conventional supernatural conflict. Several ideas are introduced but are not explored with the same depth, and the screenplay occasionally feels rushed when dealing with the mythology. However, the second half is less consistent. Once the central mystery becomes clearer, the film moves towards a more conventional supernatural conflict. Several ideas are introduced but are not explored with the same depth, and the screenplay occasionally feels rushed when dealing with the mythology.

The result is an interesting premise that does not always extract its full potential.

Sidharth Malhotra is convincing as Rishi and, for me, emerges as one of the film's biggest strengths. The character begins as someone who relies on logic and gradually finds himself confronting forces that challenge everything he believes. Sidharth handles the physical portions and action sequences with confidence, while his performance becomes more intense as Rishi's journey progresses.

Personally, this is a role where Sidharth really shines. The combination of action, emotion and a character who undergoes a gradual transformation suits him well. Hopefully, we get to see him explore more roles in this space in the future.

Tamannaah Bhatia brings sincerity to her role and shares a natural screen presence with Sidharth. Her character is important to the emotional portions of the story, although the writing does not give her enough material to make the character as memorable as it could have been.

Sunil Grover is another pleasant surprise. In a comparatively serious setting, he moves away from his familiar comic image and brings personality to the proceedings. His character arc has some genuinely interesting potential, and the film does give it space to develop, but it could have been handled with greater depth and impact.

Maniesh Paul, Shweta Tiwari and Anup Soni provide solid support. Shweta Tiwari, in particular, fits naturally into the film's rural and folklore-driven setting. Overall, the ensemble works because the actors make the fictional world feel grounded even when the narrative enters its more fantastical territory.

Technically, The Vvaan is one of the film's stronger aspects. The cinematography captures the forest as a mysterious and almost living space. The dense greenery, darkness, temple surroundings and atmospheric lighting create the right mood for the folklore-driven narrative. The forest becomes more than just a location; it plays an important role in creating the film's atmosphere.

The production design also deserves credit. The village, temple and traditional celebrations help establish the film's regional identity. The Chhath Puja sequences are particularly effective in bringing Bihar's cultural landscape into the story. The background score complements the mystery and supernatural portions without constantly overpowering them. The use of devotional and folk-inspired sounds further strengthens the film's connection to its setting.

Another interesting aspect is the spiritual imagery woven into the film. Arunabh Kumar's Shiv Bhakti finds a place in several visual details, with references and imagery involving the Shivling, Nandi and Rudraksha. These elements add another spiritual layer to the film and complement its larger exploration of faith, nature and the supernatural. Rather than feeling completely disconnected from the story, these references contribute to the rooted Indian atmosphere that the film is attempting to establish.

The visual effects are ambitious, especially when the film introduces its supernatural elements and the mystical tiger. Some sequences work impressively on the big screen, although the VFX is not equally seamless throughout. Deepak Kumar Mishra also deserves credit for stepping outside the familiar space associated with his previous work. The film feels considerably more ambitious in scale and genre, even if the execution occasionally falls short of that ambition.

The Vvaan: Force of the Forrest has a fascinating foundation. Its biggest strength is that it does not completely depend on familiar horror tropes. Instead, it uses Bihar's folklore, Van Devi, the mysterious forest and the conflict between faith and rationality to create its own cinematic world. 

The first half builds the mystery effectively, while the performances and technical execution keep the film engaging. The second half, however, loses some of the intrigue because the screenplay becomes more predictable and several potentially interesting themes remain underdeveloped. 

Still, the film deserves credit for attempting something different within mainstream Hindi cinema. It brings an Indian folklore-inspired fantasy story to the big screen with scale, atmosphere and commercial appeal. Sidharth Malhotra's performance, the atmospheric world-building, the rooted setting and the spiritual imagery give The Vvaan enough personality to stand apart from a routine supernatural entertainer. It may not completely realise the potential of its fascinating mythology, but it delivers enough mystery, adventure, emotion and visual spectacle to make for an engaging theatrical experience.

With its accessible storytelling, commercial elements and strong Indian folklore foundation, The Vvaan has the ingredients to connect with audiences looking for something different from the usual mainstream fare.