Yami Gautam Dhar's Next is Horror-Comedy 'Nayi Naveli' Backed by Aanand L Rai

Backed by Aanand L Rai's Colour Yellow Productions, the upcoming film will be directed by Tamil filmmaker Balaji Mohan.

Team THR India
By Team THR India
LAST UPDATED: JAN 09, 2026, 14:15 IST|5 min read
Yami Gautam Dhar, Aanand L Rai
Yami Gautam Dhar, Aanand L Rai

Yami Gautam Dhar, last seen in the historical legal drama Haq, has landed her next project. Switching up tones from her last outing, Dhar will reportedly headline a horror-comedy film titled Nayi Naveli.

Backed by Aanand L Rai's Colour Yellow Productions, the upcoming film will be directed by Tamil filmmaker Balaji Mohan, known for films like Maari, Maari 2 and the Tamil web-show As I'm Suffering From Kadhal. The film will mark his Hindi directorial debut.

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According to a report in Mid-Day, Nayi Naveli will enter production in February this year. The film combines elements from Indian folklore and mythology, offering a blend of humour, fright and emotions. The script is written by Divy Nidhi Sharma (Sitaare Zameen Par, Laapataa Ladies).

An industry insider told the publication, "The humour is atypical of Aanand L Rai's slice-of-life productions. After Haq, Yami was looking to do something in a lighter zone, but with substance. Nayi Naveli is that perfect combination because while it's a funny film, it's not without elements that offer intrigue and emotionality. It is being envisioned on a big scale."

Dhar experimented with horror-comedy in Bhoot Police (2021), which also featured Saif Ali Khan, Arjun Kapoor and Jacqueline Fernandez. Her last comedy outing was the romantic caper Dhoom Dhaam (2025) with Pratik Gandhi.

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Haq, released in theatres in November last year, was a courtroom drama inspired by the landmark 1985 Shah Bano verdict by the Supreme Court. In the film, Dhar plays ‘Shazia Bano’, a character modelled on the real-life Shah Bano Begum, who fights for maintenance and rights in the face of social and legal opposition. Co-starring Emraan Hashmi, the film enjoyed a modest success and recently started streaming on Netflix.

Aanand L Rai recently scored a hit with Tere Ishq Mein, an angsty romance with Dhanush and Kriti Sanon.

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