After the critical and commercial success of Bramayugam, Night Shift Studios has revealed the title of its highly anticipated second feature—Dies Irae, a horror-thriller headlined by rising Malayalam cinema star Pranav Mohanlal. The Latin title, which translates to The Day of Wrath, signals a dramatic and ominous narrative shift, as the film enters post-production.
Written and directed by Rahul Sadasivan, who earned widespread acclaim for his atmospheric and genre-defining work on Bramayugam, Dies Irae promises to push the boundaries of Indian horror cinema once again. “Compared to my previous films, Dies Irae explores a diametrically opposite emotional spectrum which connects to the new generation,” Sadasivan shared, hinting at a fresh and emotionally intense narrative style. “While it stays true to the horror-thriller space, it’s a very different beast in terms of narrative style and mood.”
With principal photography completed, the project is currently in post-production. Specific plot details remain under wraps, but the creative team suggests audiences can expect a cinematic experience that’s both bold and distinctive. Night Shift Studios appears to be building a strong horror identity, retaining much of the core team from Bramayugam, which was released in 2024 as a black-and-white period horror film starring Mammootty, Arjun Ashokan and Sidharth Bharathan. That film broke new ground for Malayalam horror, both aesthetically and commercially.
“With Bramayugam, we were able to draw global attention to what Indian horror-thrillers could achieve,” said Chakravarthy Ramachandra, founder and producer at Night Shift Studios. “Dies Irae is the next step in this pursuit. Pranav Mohanlal is set to leave an indelible footprint on this genre.” Echoing that sentiment, producer S. Sashikanth added, “Concepts like Dies Irae demand not just an edgy idea but also the right mix of talent with uncompromising quality. That’s what excites us most about this project.”
