Anubhav Sinha wants to make a horror film though he's scared of the genre
Anubhav Sinha said he still chooses films on his own terms and wants to make a horror film next. His remarks highlighted both his creative independence and his fascination with a genre that still scares him.
Filmmaker Anubhav Sinha has built a career telling stories on his own terms, and he says that approach remains unchanged. In an exclusive conversation, the director spoke about creative freedom, the genres he wants to explore, and why he hopes to make a horror film—even though he finds the genre frightening.
Speaking to India Today, Sinha made it clear that external pressures have never dictated his choices. “I don’t care about that anyway, even today. I make films that I want to make. I’m not available as a director for hire. You can offer me a story which I may subscribe to, and then I’ll do it. But I’m not a director for hire. I will do what I have to do,” he said.
The director also dismissed the idea that anything is holding him back from exploring different kinds of cinema, adding that time is his only real limitation. “It takes time because I also write. On average, I make two to three films every three years,” he shared.
Among the genres he hopes to tackle next, horror ranks high—despite his own fear of such films. “I want to make a horror film. I can’t watch horror films, but I want to make one. I don’t think I have ever watched a horror film with full sound. I mute it,” Sinha said with a laugh.
Recalling his experience as a viewer, he admitted that even horror comedies can unsettle him. “I’m someone who gets scared watching Stree. It was supposed to be a funny film, but I’m scared of that too. I’m such a coward,” he said.
He also remembered his first viewing of Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. “I remember the first time I saw The Shining, I watched the climax on mute. It’s only much later—recently, about a year ago—that I saw it with full volume,” he revealed.
Despite that fear, Sinha said the genre continues to attract him as a storyteller. “That’s the reason why I want to make a horror film. I think it’s a very attractive genre, a very attractive form of storytelling.”
Beyond horror, the filmmaker said he is often drawn to a range of cinematic styles. “Every now and then, my mind keeps flirting with the idea of doing a stylised action film, or a musical, or a love story,” he said.
As for what comes next, Sinha admitted this is the first time in a while that he does not have his next project lined up before a release. “This is the first time. Normally, before releasing a film, I know my next film. But this time I was travelling across North India since September and didn’t get the time. But the good news is that I write very fast. If I feel strongly enough about a film, I can write it in three days.”
Anubhav Sinha's film, Assi, starring Taapsee Pannu, is now streaming on Zee5.