Konkona Sen Sharma reveals she is developing a psychological horror film rooted in motherhood, even though the project remains unwritten. Speaking at the Nilaya Monsoon Film Festival, she described being so frightened by horror that she scares herself while writing. Determined to retain creative control, she refuses commissioned work and jokes audiences should assume the film won’t happen soon, easing pressure.
How does Konkona Sensharma write a horror scene? The same way she watches a horror film: while completely terrified. The actor, who made her directorial debut with the acclaimed 2017 feature A Death in the Gunj and went on to helm the standout short The Mirror in Lust Stories 2, has been developing a psychological horror film centered on motherhood for some time now, one she maintains she still intends to finish.
At the second weekend of the Monsoon Film Festival — curated in collaboration with The Hollywood Reporter India and Nilaya Anthology — the filmmaker was in conversation about her craft, career, and body of work.
While discussing a particularly eerie sequence from A Death in the Gunj, Konkona was asked if there is a horror filmmaker waiting to emerge within her. "I think so," she said. "Because I am deeply interested in this. So much so that I get scared while writing."
The actor-director recalled how, while writing that spooky nighttime scene for A Death in the Gunj, she found herself startled by her own surroundings. "I would get scared looking at my own reflection on a glass panel," she laughed.
"I get so scared that I can't even watch the great horror films, because they stay with me for so long, and become bigger in my head. But I do want to make a horror film... I have an idea."
When asked if the story explores motherhood, she confirmed, "Yes. I have been talking about it, but haven't written it yet; I am deeply interested in psychological horror."
As for whether she has pitched the concept to studios or producers, Konkona admitted she prefers to retain complete creative ownership over the material rather than rushing it through conventional development channels, "I didn't really start it properly, and it was my mistake for telling people."
"I don't want to do commissioned work, so I don't want to take money from a producer and then write it, because then it belongs to them. I have to write it myself or ask other writers to come on board for a spec script, but they also have ongoing projects and deadlines."
"But the story is there. If I am less busy, I will write it myself. We should assume it is not going to happen, so there is no pressure on me!" she laughed.