Fearfolks CEO Hans Audric Estialbo frames ‘Numinous’ as a unique horror piece with global appeal, positioning the film as elevated genre cinema that transcends regional boundaries.
Jay Alani has built an entire brand around paranormal investigation and supernatural folklore documentation — this film is essentially a feature-length proof of concept for his credibility as both researcher and storyteller.
Principal photography begins June 2026 with a March 2027 release planned. The film stars Gaurav K. Sharma of ‘Gangs of Waseypur’ fame alongside Mihir Rajda, with screenplay co-written by Neil D’Silva. Fearfolks previously brought Thailand’s ‘Death Whisperer’ — that country’s highest-grossing horror franchise — into the Indian market.
This is a film built on documented cases and accumulated credibility in the paranormal space — whether audiences find it genuinely unsettling or just another entry in India’s crowded horror landscape remains to be seen, but the Cannes positioning suggests someone believes this has serious international legs.
Bangkok-based distribution and production company Fearfolks has officially come aboard the Indian Hindi-language horror film “Numinous,” taking on worldwide sales and pre-sell rights at the upcoming Cannes Film Market — and if you think that sounds like a standard industry acquisition announcement, buckle up. This one comes with a charred body, a remote Himalayan setting, and the word of an actual paranormal investigator who says this story is ripped from his own case files.
The film is directed by and stars Jay Alani, whose resume reads like someone who decided that documenting the supernatural wasn’t enough — he needed to dramatize it. In addition to filmmaking, Alani has built an extensive profile in paranormal research and supernatural folklore documentation, spanning TEDx talks, podcasts, international media appearances, and a catalog of published titles including “Haunted,” “The Paranormal Boy,” and “The Haunted Doorway.” His documented case files have accumulated millions of views across platforms.
Now he’s bringing one of those cases to the screen, and based on the synopsis alone, it sounds deeply unsettling. Set in a remote area of Himachal Pradesh, “Numinous” opens with police discovering a burnt-out house containing a charred body found seated inside — not standing, not collapsed, but seated. The family isn’t buying the accidental death explanation, so they enlist a paranormal investigator who uncovers something far more disturbing than a conventional crime would suggest.
Alani himself described the film’s approach in a statement: “It’s an investigative horror, apart from being a supernatural film. It explores how trauma, belief, and human choice create a pattern that repeats across time.” That framing — horror as psychology rather than mere spectacle — is ambitious territory for genre cinema. The cast rounds out with some serious Indian film credentials.
Gaurav K. Sharma, known for “Gangs of Waseypur” and “Madras Cafe,” and Mihir Rajda of “Family Kirana Store” headline the principal cast, while the screenplay comes courtesy of co-writer Neil D’Silva, who offered his own take on what audiences should expect: “a story that would give them a true taste of the genre, and create in them a feeling of lingering dread that makes them think and ask questions.” Hans Audric Estialbo, CEO of Fearfolks, positioned the acquisition as part of a broader strategy to seek out unique concepts from strong creative teams.
The company’s track record lends some credibility to those ambitions — they previously brought Thailand’s “Death Whisperer” franchise into the Indian market, and that franchise happens to be Thailand’s highest-grossing horror franchise overall. Fearfolks also distributed A24’s “Mother Mary” and is set to distribute Kane Parsons’ “Backrooms” and Sundance title “Leviticus” in Thailand. Principal photography on “Numinous” is scheduled to begin in June with a March 2027 release planned — meaning we’ve got roughly ten months before cameras roll on what Alani clearly hopes becomes the definitive screen adaptation of his paranormal work.
