Actor-producer Shweta Tripathi is expanding her storytelling universe with Nava, her first-ever horror project under her banner Bandarful Films, created in association with Kowatanda Films India. This marks her second production venture after the queer drama Mujhe Jaan Na Kaho Meri Jaan, starring Tilottama Shome, reaffirming her commitment to backing bold, original and culturally rooted narratives.
Set against the hauntingly beautiful yet formidable wetlands of the Sundarbans, Nava follows the story of Tara, who returns to her ancestral home only to find herself pulled into a chilling, generation-old mystery involving river gods, buried family secrets and the uneasy coexistence of myth and memory. Written by Akash Mohimen, the film is positioned as an evocative blend of folklore, fear and emotional depth.
Speaking about producing her first horror film and continuing to diversify the stories she wants to champion, Shweta Tripathi shares, “Nava is a very special step for me as a producer. After Mujhe Jaan Na Kaho Meri Jaan, which was rooted in love and identity, I felt an instinctive pull to explore a completely different emotional world. Horror, especially when woven with culture and folklore, has the power to move people in unexpected ways. The Sundarbans is not just a backdrop in this story, it’s alive, it breathes, it protects and it threatens. When Akash narrated the script, I was taken in by its beauty, its fear, and its soul. As a producer, I want to support stories that take creative risks, that are layered, and that stay with the audience long after the film ends. Partnering with Kowatanda Films India on Nava feels like the perfect collaboration because we share the same passion for storytelling that is both meaningful and cinematic.”
With Nava, Shweta steps deeper into the world of production, continuing her mission to nurture genre-driven, character-led Indian stories that challenge the conventional and celebrate authenticity.