Vvan – Force of the Forrest is a Hindi fantasy mystery thriller that combines Indian folklore, supernatural elements, village traditions, action and family drama. The movie stars Sidharth Malhotra and Tamannaah Bhatia in the lead roles, with Sunil Grover, Anup Soni, Shweta Tiwari and Maniesh Paul in important supporting roles. The film is directed by Deepak Kumar Mishra.
Released in theatres on September 25, 2026, the movie attempts to build a supernatural world around an ancient forest, local beliefs and the mysterious Van Devi folklore. Instead of following a straightforward horror formula, it tries to connect mythology with questions about faith, nature, development and human greed.
But does Vvan – Force of the Forrest successfully turn its interesting concept into an engaging movie? Here is our detailed review covering the story, performances, direction, visuals, music, strengths and weaknesses.
Vvan – Force of the Forrest Movie Review: Quick Details
| Category | Details |
| Movie | Vvan – Force of the Forrest |
| Language | Hindi |
| Release Date | September 25, 2026 |
| Genre | Fantasy, Mystery, Thriller |
| Director | Deepak Kumar Mishra |
| Lead Cast | Sidharth Malhotra, Tamannaah Bhatia |
| Supporting Cast | Sunil Grover, Anup Soni, Shweta Tiwari, Maniesh Paul |
| Runtime | Around 2 hours 17 minutes |
| Release Platform | Theatres |
| Story Elements | Folklore, supernatural mystery, faith, nature and action |
The film’s central idea revolves around an ancestral village in Bihar and a forbidden forest connected to an old supernatural belief. This setting gives the movie a distinct identity and separates it from a conventional urban horror or fantasy story.
Vvan – Force of the Forrest Story
The story follows Rishi, played by Sidharth Malhotra, a city-based man who does not easily accept supernatural beliefs. He returns to his ancestral village in Bihar along with his wife Mamta, played by Tamannaah Bhatia.
Rishi’s initial reason for returning to the village is connected to his inherited property. He wants to deal with the land and move forward with his life. However, the village has its own traditions, beliefs and warnings surrounding a mysterious forest.
The forest is considered forbidden, particularly after sunset. Local people believe that something powerful and dangerous exists inside it. Rishi, being a rational and practical person, does not initially accept these beliefs.
His attitude creates an interesting conflict between logic and faith.
The situation changes when Rishi becomes involved with the forest and an ancient seal is disturbed. What initially appears to be superstition begins to feel increasingly real. A supernatural force enters the story, forcing Rishi to question the beliefs he previously rejected.
The movie also introduces a conflict involving development, land and the forest. This gives the story another layer because the forest is not simply used as a scary location. It becomes connected to the larger themes of nature, human greed and the consequences of disturbing something that has existed for generations.
Is the Story Interesting?
The basic concept of Vvan – Force of the Forrest is certainly interesting.
Indian folklore provides a strong foundation for supernatural cinema because different regions have their own stories, traditions and legends. The movie attempts to use this cultural background to create a fantasy world rather than depending entirely on familiar horror tropes.
The first part of the film is particularly effective at establishing curiosity around the village and the forbidden forest. Viewers are given enough mystery to wonder what is actually hiding inside it.
However, the narrative becomes less consistent as the movie progresses.
The story gradually moves from a mysterious folklore-driven setup towards a more familiar supernatural battle. Some of the ideas introduced early in the movie do not receive enough development later, which affects the overall flow.
Sidharth Malhotra’s Performance
Sidharth Malhotra plays Rishi, a character who begins the story as a rational-minded man and gradually becomes involved with supernatural events.
This gives him an opportunity to portray two different sides of the character.
At the beginning, Rishi is practical and dismissive of the village’s supernatural beliefs. As the story develops, his circumstances force him to confront something that cannot easily be explained through logic.
Sidharth handles the physical and dramatic portions of the role with commitment. His action-oriented presence suits the larger fantasy setting, especially when the story becomes more intense.
However, the emotional transformation of Rishi could have been explored in greater depth. The change from scepticism to accepting supernatural possibilities is an important part of the story, but the screenplay moves through some of these developments rather quickly.
Tamannaah Bhatia’s Performance
Tamannaah Bhatia plays Mamta, Rishi’s wife.
Her character provides a more grounded emotional element to the story. The relationship between Rishi and Mamta gives the film some warmth, especially when the supernatural events begin affecting their personal lives.
Tamannaah brings restraint and sincerity to the role. Her chemistry with Sidharth also works well in the quieter scenes.
However, Mamta’s character does not receive as much development as the premise might initially suggest. The supporting characters are generally used to move the main story forward rather than receiving extensive individual arcs.
Sunil Grover and Supporting Cast
One of the more interesting aspects of the cast is Sunil Grover, who appears in a comparatively serious role.
His performance adds another dimension to the village storyline, particularly because the character is connected to the development-related conflict surrounding the forest.
Anup Soni, Shweta Tiwari and Maniesh Paul also contribute to the film’s village setting.
The supporting cast helps make the fictional community feel populated and gives the movie a stronger regional atmosphere. At the same time, several characters are limited by the screenplay and could have benefited from more detailed writing.
Vvan – Force of the Forrest Direction
The film marks an ambitious move into fantasy and supernatural storytelling for director Deepak Kumar Mishra.
The direction works best when the movie focuses on atmosphere, folklore and mystery.
The village environment and forbidden forest create a different visual and narrative identity. Instead of immediately explaining everything, the film initially allows the mystery to develop.
This approach creates curiosity.
The problem appears when the story moves deeper into its supernatural conflict. The film introduces several ideas involving faith, nature, greed and development, but they do not always feel equally connected.
A stronger balance between these themes could have made the movie more emotionally effective.
Visuals and Forest Setting
The forest is arguably one of the most important elements of Vvan – Force of the Forrest.
The cinematography gives the location an atmospheric appearance using elements such as darkness, mist, dense vegetation and shadows. These visual choices help create a sense that the forest is more than just another movie location.
It becomes an important part of the story.
The supernatural sequences also attempt to provide a larger visual scale. Some of the imagery works well within the fantasy setting, although the quality of the visual effects is not always completely consistent.
What Works Visually?
The strongest visual elements include:
- The mysterious forest environment
- Dark and atmospheric locations
- Village landscapes
- Folklore-inspired imagery
- Supernatural manifestations
- Action sequences
- Festival-related sequences
The combination of rural surroundings and supernatural imagery gives the film a distinct look.
Music and Background Score
Music plays an important role in establishing the regional atmosphere of the movie.
The film uses folk-inspired sounds and chants alongside its background score. The Chhath Puja setting also adds cultural flavour to the narrative.
The music does not simply function as a collection of songs. In several parts, it helps reinforce the connection between the characters, village traditions and the folklore-based storyline.
A peppy musical sequence also provides a break from the darker supernatural portions.
Overall, the sound design and music contribute to the atmosphere, particularly during the scenes involving the forest and local traditions.
Vvan – Force of the Forrest: What Works?
There are several aspects of the film that stand out.
1. Fresh Folklore-Based Concept
The use of Bihar-based folklore and a mysterious forest gives the movie a different foundation.
2. Interesting First Half
The beginning establishes the village, characters and forest mystery effectively enough to create curiosity about what will happen next.
3. Strong Atmosphere
The forest locations, cinematography and background music create an appropriate supernatural mood.
4. Sidharth Malhotra’s Screen Presence
Sidharth fits comfortably into the film’s action and fantasy portions and carries much of the central dramatic responsibility.
5. Tamannaah and Sidharth’s Chemistry
Their relationship gives the story a grounded emotional element.
6. Sunil Grover’s Serious Role
Sunil Grover provides an interesting change from the kind of lighter roles audiences may associate with him.
Vvan – Force of the Forrest: What Could Have Been Better?
The movie also has some noticeable weaknesses.
1. Uneven Screenplay
The biggest issue is that the screenplay does not always connect its different ideas smoothly.
The movie wants to discuss folklore, faith, nature, greed and development while also delivering supernatural action. These ideas are individually interesting, but the transitions between them can feel rushed.
2. Second Half Loses Some Mystery
The early portion builds an intriguing mystery around the forest. Later, the movie moves more directly toward a conventional supernatural conflict.
This reduces some of the mystery that made the setup interesting.
3. Character Development
Some characters could have received more emotional depth.
Rishi’s transformation is central to the story, but the psychological side of that transformation could have been explored more thoroughly.
4. Inconsistent Visual Effects
The movie has ambitious supernatural imagery, but some effects appear less polished than others.
5. Ideas Are Not Always Fully Explored
The conflict between development and preservation is an interesting part of the story. However, the movie does not always give these themes enough space to develop naturally.
Vvan – Force of the Forrest First Half vs Second Half
| Element | First Half | Second Half |
| Mystery | Stronger | Reduced |
| Folklore | Well established | Becomes part of larger conflict |
| Character Setup | Effective | More action-focused |
| Atmosphere | Strong | Continues through supernatural sequences |
| Story Pace | Relatively engaging | More uneven |
| Action | Limited initially | More prominent |
| Supernatural Elements | Gradually introduced | Take centre stage |
This difference between the two halves is one of the most important things to consider when reviewing the movie.
The first half creates questions and establishes the world. The second half attempts to provide answers and larger-scale confrontation, but in doing so it loses some of the subtlety of the earlier sections.
Vvan – Force of the Forrest Movie Review: Should You Watch It?
Whether you should watch Vvan – Force of the Forrest depends largely on what you expect from the movie.
If you enjoy:
- Indian folklore
- Fantasy thrillers
- Supernatural mysteries
- Forest-based stories
- Mythological elements
- Hindi action movies
- Rural settings
- Stories involving faith and nature
then the film offers several interesting elements.
However, viewers looking for a tightly written supernatural thriller may find the uneven screenplay frustrating.
The movie has an intriguing concept and some impressive visual ideas, but its execution does not always reach the level suggested by its premise.
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Vvan – Force of the Forrest Movie Review: Final Verdict
Vvan – Force of the Forrest has a concept that immediately creates curiosity. The combination of Indian folklore, a forbidden forest, supernatural mystery and a conflict between rational thinking and traditional beliefs gives the film an interesting starting point.
Sidharth Malhotra provides a strong central presence, while Tamannaah Bhatia brings warmth to the relationship at the heart of the story. Sunil Grover also adds interest in a more serious role.
The strongest parts of the film are its folklore-inspired setting, forest atmosphere, visual ambition and intriguing premise.
The main problem is the screenplay. The movie introduces several potentially meaningful themes but does not always connect them smoothly. As the story progresses, the mystery gives way to a more familiar supernatural confrontation, and some of the character development feels rushed.
For viewers who enjoy folklore-driven fantasy and supernatural adventures, Vvan – Force of the Forrest can still offer an interesting theatrical experience. Those expecting a consistently layered and tightly written fantasy thriller may find that the movie does not fully realise the potential of its concept.
Vvan – Force of the Forrest Rating
Instead of judging the film only through a number, the movie can be looked at through its major elements:
| Category | Review |
| Story Concept | Interesting |
| Screenplay | Uneven |
| Direction | Ambitious |
| Performances | Good |
| Sidharth Malhotra | Strong screen presence |
| Tamannaah Bhatia | Sincere performance |
| Supporting Cast | Effective |
| Cinematography | Atmospheric |
| Visual Effects | Ambitious but inconsistent |
| Music | Suitable for the setting |
| First Half | Engaging |
| Second Half | Less consistent |
| Overall Experience | Mixed |
Final Thoughts
Vvan – Force of the Forrest tries to bring Indian folklore into a modern fantasy thriller and deserves attention for attempting something different.
Its strongest achievement is the world it creates around the mysterious forest and the beliefs surrounding it. The atmosphere, performances and visual presentation help establish a cinematic identity.
However, an interesting concept needs equally strong execution, and that is where the movie becomes inconsistent.
The film works best when it allows the folklore and mystery to breathe. When it shifts toward conventional supernatural action, some of the originality of the setup becomes less prominent.
Overall, Vvan – Force of the Forrest is a folklore-based fantasy thriller with an intriguing premise, atmospheric visuals and committed performances, but an uneven screenplay prevents it from becoming a fully satisfying experience.
For audiences interested in Vvan – Force of the Forrest movie review, the film is best understood as an ambitious attempt to combine Indian folklore, supernatural mystery, action and family drama into one theatrical experience.