Riteish Deshmukh is excited about playing a ghost hunter in 'Kakuda'

Riteish Deshmukh (Photo by PTI)

Bollywood actor Riteish Deshmukh, who plays a ghost hunter in the upcoming film , opened up about what made him say yes to the script.

Directed by Aditya Sarpotdar, is set in the village of Ratodi in Uttar Pradesh's Mathura district.

Deshmukh said, "The horror-comedy genre has always intrigued me and when I heard the script I was drawn to it. Also playing a ghost hunter in a fun, quirky setting really appealed to me, and I feel that has a great blend of humour with unexpected twists. Working with a talented and enthusiastic cast and crew made the experience even better. Bringing this character to life and being part of a film that promises to entertain and surprise viewers was irresistible. I knew right away that I wanted to be part of Kakuda and dive into the spooky world with complete excitement and enthusiasm."

He added, " is my first horror comedy film, and it has been an exciting journey. Mixing comedy with horror increases the challenges. Both genres require precise timing, but in very different ways. Comedy relies on punchlines and quick wit, while horror depends on building tension and delivering scares. Balancing these elements, so one doesn't overshadow the other is a delicate task. However, that's what makes it so much fun and exciting. It's about finding the right moments to inject humour without losing the essence of horror, and vice versa. It pushed me out of my comfort zone and allowed me to experiment with new forms of storytelling."

The official synopsis of the project read, "While Ratodi seems like any other village, it isn't because of the curse inflicted upon it for years. Every house in the district has two similar looking doors, one that is normal size and one which is smaller than the other. The film revolves around a peculiar ritual that demands the opening of the smaller door of each house every Tuesday at 7:15 pm sharp. Failure to comply with this rule invites the wrath of Kakuda, who punishes the man of the house. But who is Kakuda...Why does he punish the men in the village? How will the villagers get rid of the curse? Beware! Ab Mard Khatre Me Hai!"

The film also stars Sonakshi Sinha and Saqib Saleem.

Speaking about his character in the film, Riteish said, "Playing the character of a quirky and modern ghost hunter was absolutely amazing. What fascinated me the most was the unique blend of humour and modernity in his approach to ghost hunting. Unlike the traditional ways we often see, my character brought a fresh, contemporary twist to the role, using modern gadgets and a witty personality to tackle the supernatural. "

will be out on ZEE5 on July 12.