The Vvaan Review, Siddharth And Tamannaah Anchor A Folk Horror Let Down By Uneven Execution

'The Vvaan: Force of the Forrest' is a new fantasy thriller released in theatres on September 25, 2026. It features Siddharth Malhotra and Tamannaah Bhatia in the lead roles.

The Vvaan: Force of the Forrest tries to blend folklore, faith, and modern ambition into a mytho-horror set in Devanchal during Chhath Puja. Directed by Deepak Kumar Mishra, it follows 'Rishi' and 'Mamta' as they return to a village guarded by Van Devi and a forest no one enters after dark.

The film has atmosphere, strong cultural texture, and sincere performances, but struggles to balance mystery with spectacle. It aims for an eerie folk tale but often chooses explanation over dread. (Spoilers ahead!)

A sacred forest with a strong idea that starts well

The Vvaan: Force of the Forrest first introduces a legend to the audience that immediately creates curiosity. A goddess who protects a village, a forest that must not be entered after sunset, a bracelet that chooses its rightful heir.

Director Deepak Kumar Mishra places this mythology in Devanchal during Chhath Puja, which gives the fantasy a cultural root that feels specific and lived in. The early animated portion that explains Van Devi and the trapped forces known as phuddakke works because it presents faith as part of daily life here, not just decoration.

Into this setting arrive 'Rishi,' played by Sidharth Malhotra, and 'Mamta,' played by Tamannaah Bhatia. 'Rishi' is an engineer living in Mumbai who now calls himself a rationalist, while 'Mamta' is a school teacher who has held on to devotion.

The couple carries a deep personal grief from a loss six years ago that has shaped their beliefs in opposite directions. That emotional contrast is the most affecting part of the film. 'Rishi' has stayed away from Devanchal because that grief is tied to the place, and when he returns to close a land deal that would allow a road through the sacred grove, the story finds a clear conflict between modern ambition and inherited belief.

The first half builds the conflict patiently. The village follows one rule: no one enters the forest after dark. When a villager's bull wanders inside and 'Rishi' goes after it and returns unharmed, the villagers see it as a sign that he could be the uttaradhikari. For 'Rishi', it is proof that fear has made a story larger than reality. This difference in perspective is interesting because it keeps the forest mysterious.

The Chhath rituals are given space: the ghat preparations, the songs, the collective prayer, all shot with a texture that makes Devanchal feel real. The writing keeps folklore and family drama side by side, so the supernatural does not feel separate from the people who believe in it. That balance is what makes the premise promising and keeps you invested in what lies beyond the treeline.

Performances hold The Vvaan when the writing loses focus

The second half is where The Vvaan starts to lose the very mystery it created. Once 'Deepak,' played by Sunil Grover, is established as the powerful local figure pushing the road project, the narrative expands quickly. His story involving his father, the bracelet, and a deal with the dark entity inside the forest adds scale but also shifts attention away from the central couple.

The forest, which should have remained an unsettling presence, slowly becomes a backdrop for loud confrontations. Instead of letting dread build through suggestion, the screenplay feels compelled to explain every part of its mythology, and with each explanation, the fear reduces.

'Ved,' played by Maniesh Paul, is meant to provide relief as 'Rishi’s' friend who carries a camera everywhere. Paul brings honest comic timing and delivers some of the better lines, but his track appears exactly when tension should rise, so the humour often breaks the mood.

The songs from Vishal Mishra, Amit Trivedi, Tanishk Bagchi, and Sam C S arrive frequently and do not add much to the plot. Visually, the film shows ambition, but the result is uneven. Some evening shots of the grove have genuine atmosphere, yet the creatures inside look stiff and overly digital, which reduces the sense of danger. By the time the climax moves to a mid-air face-off near the shrine of Van Devi, the rooted folk tale turns into generic spectacle.

What keeps The Vvaan watchable till the end is its cast. Sidharth Malhotra brings physical presence and sincerity to 'Rishi', playing a man torn between grief and responsibility without making him overly heroic. Tamannaah Bhatia gives 'Mamta' quiet strength, and her devotion to Chhathi Maiya brings emotional weight that the script sometimes lacks.

Anup Soni and Shweta Tiwari as the elder brother and sister-in-law bring credibility and warmth, while Sunil Grover shows clear effort to move beyond his comic image and play a darker shade. There is a solid folk story inside The Vvaan about faith, loss, and the price of disturbing nature. It needed more restraint and more trust in its own forest to truly work.

Have you watched The Vvaan in theatres? Let us know.

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