Actor Adah Sharma, who made her acting debut with the horror film 1920 (2008), is returning to the genre, this time in a different format. On Halloween (October 31), she launched a series of horror stories titled Adah Ki Aahat on Instagram, describing it as her “little haunted corner of Instagram”.
Explaining the idea behind the project, the actor, who has two horror films lined up for release next year, says, “I believe horror gives you the freedom to let your imagination run wild. So I thought, why make my horror-loving audience wait until next year? Why not bring the scares straight to their phones!”
Adding that the series has no end date, she says, “You can watch it in bed, while travelling or even in the bathroom. Although I wouldn’t recommend the bathroom. You never know who might be standing behind the shower curtain!”
Taking horror to a platform built around short-form content and instant gratification comes with its own challenges. So, how does she create suspense and build a sense of fear within a few seconds? Sharma says, “Honestly, I didn’t overthink it. I think horror doesn’t always need a long runtime. Sometimes all you need is one strange sound, one unexpected visual and a very active imagination. The trick is to leave enough unsaid for the audience’s brain to scare itself. After all, the scariest things are often the ones you don’t see. And I think when you genuinely believe in the story you’re telling, the audience feels it too.”