“Building The World Of Bhootam Bhayyam Was The Most Exciting Part For Me As A Director”: Ramchandra Gaonkar On The Film, Now Streaming On Marathi Zee 5

With Bhootam Bhayyam now streaming on Marathi Zee 5, director Ramchandra Gaonkar shares insights into the making of the horror-comedy, the challenges of balancing horror and humour, and the creative process behind building a world rooted in folklore and mystery. Starring Chhaya Kadam, Pushkaraj Chirputkar and the Orange Juice Gang, the film brings together a young ensemble in a story that blends familiar cultural influences with a distinctive cinematic treatment.

Talking about the challenge of balancing horror and comedy, Gaonkar says, “Bhootam Bhayyam is a horror-comedy, and both horror and comedy were equally important in the film. The horror part was genuinely challenging for me. The way Jathai’s character was written and visualised, along with the story of Raniwada, the queen’s mansion and its surroundings, required us to create a particular experience. Creating that experience is essential to making the horror effective. My entire team did everything necessary to achieve this, working extensively on everything from production design to visuals. Building the world of Bhootam Bhayyam, executing it and bringing together its characters, story and mystery within one film was the most exciting part for me as a director.”

The film also draws from folklore and stories that many of us grow up hearing. Speaking about the cultural influences behind Bhootam Bhayyam, Gaonkar shares, “Bhootam Bhayyam tells the story of a legend involving a magical stone that turns anything it touches into gold. These are the kinds of stories we have heard since childhood, from our grandparents, at school or through different tales. That is what makes the story feel rooted. Alongside this, there is also a mother-son relationship, something every child can relate to in some way. The legend, the mother-son relationship, the world of Raniwada and its mystery all come together in the film. Bringing these rooted elements together and presenting them in a different way was very important to me.”

Reflecting on his journey as a filmmaker, from Tumbbadchi Manjula to Bhootam Bhayyam, Gaonkar describes the film’s making as a significant experience in his growth as a director. “The process of making Bhootam Bhayyam was a major journey in itself. The entire team worked for almost two years to bring this film to life. From casting and workshops to pre-production and production design, and from music and background score to visual language, every aspect was developed at different levels. Building the world of a film was a very important experience for me as a director. Bringing together the world, characters, story and mystery of Bhootam Bhayyam was incredibly exciting. Marathi cinema has seen many good films, but Bhootam Bhayyam is a young film made by young talent from the Marathi industry. The entire team is around 28 to 30 years old. This is a beginning for the kind of cinema we enjoy and want to make, which makes this film very special to me.”

Gaonkar also reflects on the audience response during the film’s theatrical release and his hopes for its digital premiere. He shares, “During the release of Bhootam Bhayyam, we visited several theatres. Beyond box-office numbers, the people who watched the film really embraced it. Whether it was single-screen theatres, multiplexes or other places we visited, audiences appreciated the film wholeheartedly. We heard reactions such as, ‘It doesn’t feel like a Marathi film,’ ‘The hard work you have put in is visible,’ and ‘This is a kind of film that hasn’t been explored this way before.’ Audiences also appreciated some of the people who were acting for the first time. We experienced houseful shows, an increase in shows after Friday and a very encouraging response from viewers.”

He adds that the digital release will help the film reach people who may not have had the opportunity to watch it in theatres. “Now that the film is releasing digitally, it can reach audiences who do not have access to theatres, people in towns where the film did not release, and those who could not watch it on the big screen. I believe Marathi Zee 5 will help the world of Bhootam Bhayyam reach an even larger audience. The film is based on a legend, the kind of stories we have heard since childhood. It also has a mother-son relationship, a rooted story, horror, comedy and mystery. These elements can appeal to audiences beyond Maharashtra as well. For us, it is a wonderful opportunity to bring the film to people who could not experience it in theatres.”

Bhootam Bhayyam follows seven unemployed friends whose discovery of an ancient coin leads them to the mysterious Raniwada mansion and a supernatural curse.

Watch Bhootam Bhayyam, now streaming exclusively on Marathi Zee 5.