After the attention with The Kerala Story, director Sudipto Sen has now released the teaser of his next project, ‘Charak: Fair of Faith’, a folklore-based thriller rooted in India’s occult traditions.
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The teaser was unveiled on Monday and offers a dark, unsettling glimpse into a world driven by belief, fear, and ritual.
A Story inspired by the Indian occult
Speaking about the film, Sudipto Sen said that Charak comes from a deep personal need to explore the Indian occult world through cinema.
His aim, he shared, was to create a story that feels universal while remaining strongly connected to Indian culture.
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“Both as a maker and as an audience—a reflective story ingrained deep into the human psyche, with relatable characters navigating the enigmatic grey zones against the backdrop of a visually scary traditional cult festival, and also carrying a universal poignant appeal,” the director went on to explain.
According to the director, the film focuses on characters who feel real and relatable, placed in morally complex situations.
These characters go through grey and dark areas of faith and fear, set against the backdrop of a traditional cult festival that is both visually striking, scary and emotionally intense.
Inside the world of the Charak mela
The teaser introduces viewers to a community preparing for the Charak mela, a festival they believe is their final hope to fulfil long-pending wishes.
As the rituals grow more intense, the atmosphere gets darker, raising uncomfortable questions about devotion, sacrifice, and the price of blind belief.
Sharing the teaser online, the makers wrote: “Faith can save. Blind faith can destroy.” The line sets the tone for a story that doesn’t offer easy answers, but instead asks viewers to reflect on where belief ends and danger begins.
Presented by PEN studios
The film is presented by Jayantilal Gada’s PEN Studios. Speaking about the project, Dr. Gada said the genre instantly caught the studio’s attention as folklore-based thrillers remain largely unexplored in Indian cinema.
He added that the team is always looking to support fresh and unconventional stories. “This genre is relatively underexplored and immediately intrigued us as a studio, since we constantly strive to bring freshness and innovation to our storytelling.”
Cast and crew details
Directed by Shieladitya Moulik, Charak features a strong ensemble cast including Anjali Patil, Sahidur Rahaman, Subrat Dutta, Shashi Bhushan, Nalneesh Neel, Shankhadeep, and Shounak Shyamal in key roles.
The film is produced by Sipping Tea Cinemas in association with Sudipto Sen Productions, with Rajesh Bhatt serving as associate producer. The screenplay has been written by Farauq Malik.
Release date
Charak: Fair of Faith is scheduled for a theatrical release on March 6. With its focus on folklore, fear, and faith, the film aims to offer a chilling yet thought-provoking cinematic experience.
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