Tumbbad director Rahi Anil Barve is bringing up his second feature soon, and his fans are naturally awaiting it with much anticipation. The film, Mayasabha (The Hall of Illusion), is headlined by Jaaved Jaaferi, Mohammad Samad, Veena Jamkar, and Deepak Damle. It is expected to have a theatrical release on January 30.
In an interaction with IANS, Rahi Anil Barve talked about the impetus behind making it. “With Mayasabha, my second film after Tumbbad, I return to the kind of storytelling that has always drawn me toward myth, mystery, and psychological depth. After Tumbbad, there was an expectation to challenge myself and the audience once again, and Mayasabha is my answer to that. The film promises a journey into guarded truths and power structures far more dangerous than they appear at first glance”.
He describes it as a narrative that "boldly enters a space where symbolism meets suspense, where silence often speaks louder than dialogue."
"Visually, I wanted to create a world that is sharper, darker, and a deeply immersive one, where tension and philosophy coexist, and where every frame carries meaning,” he added.
The film is in the middle of doing its festival rounds. The venues include the 3rd Asian Film Festival, where the film is slotted for a January 11 screening. Notably, it's an official selection, in the category Indian Cinema, at the Pune International Film Festival (PIFF) 2026. The screening date is January 17. Recently, the World Premiere was held at the closing ceremony of the Jagran Film Festival, Mumbai, on Sunday, 16 November.
It will then proceed with its theatrical release on January 30.
Mayasabha comes with the backing of producers Girish Patel and Ankoor J Singh, with co-producers Shamrao Bhagwan Yadav, Chanda Yadav, Kewal Handa, and Manish Handa. It is presented and distributed by Pickle Entertainment.
