Highlights
- Hansal Mehta confirms Pralay is an original story
- Film stars Ranveer Singh and marks debut of Jai Mehta
- Post-apocalyptic thriller backed by large-scale worldbuilding and VFX
- Project currently in pre-production, with filming expected in mid-2026
Original vision amid speculation
Hansal Mehta has clarified that Pralay, the upcoming zombie thriller led by Ranveer Singh, is not based on José Saramago’s novel Blindness, pushing back against speculation that gathered pace online.
The rumours followed an Instagram post by co-star Kalyani Priyadarshan, who had been recommended the book by director Jai Mehta. Addressing the chatter, Mehta stressed that the screenplay is an original work written by Jai Mehta and his collaborator Vishal Kapoor.
He also questioned the adaptability of Saramago’s writing for cinema, noting that certain literary works lose their impact when translated to screen.
Building a large-scale dystopian world
Backed by Mehta’s banner True Story Films and co-produced by Ranveer Singh’s Ma Kasam Films, Pralay is positioned as a high-budget Hindi film with ambitions of large-scale worldbuilding.
The story unfolds in a post-apocalyptic setting, centred on a dystopian city overrun by zombies, a genre and scale rarely attempted in mainstream Hindi cinema.
Development has involved multiple stages beyond scripting, including concept design, pre-visualisation and refining the narrative after Singh came on board. Mehta said the actor’s belief in both the script and Jai Mehta’s direction helped drive the project forward.
An international crew is being assembled to realise the film’s visual scope, with a focus on achieving a global standard while managing costs below typical Hollywood productions.
A debut backed by experience
For Jai Mehta, Pralay marks a feature directorial debut, developed over several months before being pitched to Singh. Hansal Mehta described his role as that of a hands-on producer, overseeing budgets, reviewing the script and contributing where needed, while maintaining a collaborative approach. The film is expected to begin shooting in mid-2026.
Alongside producing duties, Mehta is preparing to direct Porbandar, a period crime drama set in Gujarat, and is finalising Gandhi, a multi-season series on Mahatma Gandhi, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2025 and is yet to secure a streaming release.
