The Vvaan Review: An Intriguing Mythological Premise That Loses Its Way

Imagine the pitch meeting for The Vvaan: Indian culture, a Goddess, Chhath Puja and a supernatural mystery — why not combine all three with horror and comedy?

That unusual mix brings together Sidharth Malhotra and Tamannaah Bhatia with Ektaa Kapoor, known for the Naagin franchise, and TVF, the creative force behind grounded shows such as Panchayat and Gullak. On paper, it is an unexpected collaboration. On screen, the question is whether these contrasting ingredients find a balance.

For a while, they do.

The Plot

The story follows Rishi (Sidharth Malhotra), a Mumbai-based man who lives with his wife Mamta (Tamannaah Bhatia). The couple has been trying to have a child for years but remains unable to conceive.

Rishi has also been avoiding returning to his hometown for Chhath Puja. However, financial circumstances eventually force him to travel back home to complete a land deal. He arrives with Mamta and their friend Ved (Maniesh Paul).

Rishi intends to sell his share of ancestral land for a substantial amount as part of a project that would see a road built through a sacred forest. But the proposal faces opposition from villagers who consider the land holy and believe it should not be disturbed.

Rishi refuses to back down, setting off a series of supernatural events.

Directed by Deepak Kumar Mishra, The Vvaan initially makes effective use of this premise. The first half gradually reveals details about Rishi’s past while introducing the supernatural elements without giving away too much.

The shift from Mumbai to the more traditional world of the village also feels organic. The film’s reported inspiration from real-life elements adds another layer of familiarity to the narrative.

Most importantly, the mystery surrounding the forbidden forest — a place villagers believe nobody should enter after dark — keeps the first half engaging.

Where The Vvaan Loses Its Way

Unfortunately, the film struggles to sustain that momentum after the interval.

The second half becomes increasingly disjointed, with Nitin Baid’s editing failing to give the narrative enough breathing room. The comedy also begins to feel repetitive.

Maniesh Paul’s Ved is clearly designed to provide comic relief, particularly through his repeated confusion between an elderly woman and a witch. The gag is stretched well beyond its effectiveness and repeatedly returns even when the film is trying to create suspense.

Paul’s comic timing helps salvage some of these moments, while Anandeshwar Dwivedi’s dialogue gives him several of the film’s better one-liners.

The climax is another weak point. It becomes loud and increasingly complicated without generating the intended impact. Multiple backstories and explanations are introduced late in the narrative, creating more questions than satisfying answers.

The film also relies heavily on songs, many of which interrupt rather than advance the story. The visual effects, meanwhile, are serviceable but hardly memorable.

Performances

Sidharth Malhotra is watchable, but the character does not offer him much new territory. Rishi feels similar to the urban, city-bred characters he has played in films such as Thank God.

Tamannaah Bhatia fares better. She provides much of the film’s emotional weight and effectively conveys Mamta’s longing to become a mother.

Anuup Soni and Shweta Tiwari are well suited to their respective roles and lend credibility to the family drama.

Sunil Grover’s casting as the antagonist is an interesting choice and adds some intrigue to the proceedings.

The music, composed by Vishal Mishra, Amit Trivedi, Tanishk Bagchi and Sam C.S., does not leave much of an impression.

Verdict

The Vvaan begins with a genuinely promising idea: a supernatural story built around a Goddess, Chhath Puja and Indian folklore. That combination could have given the film a distinctive identity rooted in Indian mythology.

Instead, the film gradually gets distracted by its multiple ingredients — comedy, songs, backstories and supernatural twists — and loses focus on the central premise.

By the end, the Goddess, folklore and horror elements appear to be competing for attention rather than working together.

For a film that begins with such an intriguing divine premise, The Vvaan ultimately does surprisingly little with its most compelling idea.