Bihar's Harsh Vaibhav To Debut As Screenwriter And Executive Producer In Bokshi At IFFR 2025

Bhargav Saikia's film 'Bokshi' is set to make its World Premiere at the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) in 2025. Known for his adaptation of Ruskin Bond's story in 'The Black Cat', Saikia directed and produced this folk-horror fantasy. The film was shot in the lush forests of Sikkim, Northeast India, and explores themes of gender dynamics, psychological trauma, and ecological impacts.

'Bokshi' features an original screenplay by Harsh Vaibhav. It delves into witchcraft and ancient lore, drawing parallels between women and Mother Earth. The film stars Mansi Multani and Prasanna Bisht, with dialogues in Hindi, English, Nepali, and Boksirit—a fictional language crafted by Dutch linguist Jan van Steenbergen.

The story follows Anahita, a troubled teen on a school trip to a prehistoric site. As an ancient myth unfolds, she faces eerie challenges that force her to confront her deepest fears. This eco-feminist narrative examines the intersection of forgotten myths with modern issues.

Harsh Vaibhav's journey into filmmaking began during his teenage years in Dhanbad and Jamshedpur. While studying at Loyola School Jamshedpur, he created a short film on student suicides supported by TATA Steel. He later pursued Literature at Delhi University before studying filmmaking at Prague Film School.

Upon returning to India, Harsh collaborated with Bhargav Saikia on 'Bokshi'. The film was shot over 80 days across two winters in Sikkim. Harsh served as Executive Producer during filming, managing production responsibilities for Lorien Motion Pictures.

Harsh expressed excitement about the IFFR premiere: "I was fresh out of film school when Bhargav entrusted me with writing his debut feature. It took us five years to make this ambitious indie and never had we imagined that our first film will premiere at such a prestigious festival."

A Collaborative Effort

Director Bhargav Saikia shared his thoughts: "It's an honour to premiere my debut directorial feature 'Bokshi' in Rotterdam, a festival celebrated for showcasing bold and original voices in global cinema." He praised Harsh for tackling logistical challenges while shooting in remote Sikkim locations.

Bhargav looks forward to expanding Lorien Motion Pictures with Harsh. They are currently working on their next project—a Hindi horror-comedy film. This collaboration marks the beginning of more creative ventures from the duo.