There have been several reports making the rounds initially that Kiara Advani had been roped in for Maddock Films' Shakti Shalini. However, earlier today, Pinkvilla reported that Saiyaara breakout star Aneet Padda is now spearheading the upcoming film in the horror-comedy universe. Now, production house Maddock Films has released a statement stating that "reports regarding the casting of Shakti Shalini and Maha Munjya are purely speculative."
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— Maddockfilms (@MaddockFilms) September 19, 2025
What's Happening
- Pinkvilla reported earlier today, "Aneet Padda has been in discussions for Shakti Shalini for the last two months, as Dinesh Vijan was on the lookout to infuse his universe with new energies. He loved Aneet's work in Saiyaara and has decided to mount the next chapter of the horror-comedy universe on her."
- The report continued, "Shakti Shalini is expected to begin towards the end of 2025. While the director's name has been kept under wraps for now, Dinesh Vijan is keen to rope in Aditya Sarpotdar (Munjya fame) for the part. However, the final decision on direction will be taken in a fortnight."
- Soon after, an official statement was released by Maddock Films, clarifying all the rumoured speculations about the upcoming chapters in their horror-comedy universe that are making the rounds.
- The statement read, "While we truly value the excitement around our horror-comedy universe, we want to make it absolutely clear that any reports regarding the casting of the upcoming chapters, including Shakti Shalini and Maha Munjya, are purely speculative. We urge the media to avoid misinformation and to wait for official announcements from us."
Reports Of Kiara Advani In Shakti Shalini
According to a report in India Today, earlier this year, there was strong buzz about Kiara Advani being part of Shakti Shalini.
A close source had said, "The film demands a leading lady who can embody strength and vulnerability simultaneously, and Kiara ticks all the boxes. Talks are ongoing, but nothing has been finalised yet."
Neither Kiara Advani nor Maddock Films had officially confirmed this.
Maddock Horror-Comedy Universe Slate
Dinesh Vijan's Maddock Films started 2025 on a high note and delivered exciting news to fans of their horror-comedy universe. The production house had announced a line-up of eight films that will be part of this expanding universe in the coming years.
Among the highly anticipated projects are Stree 3, starring Shraddha Kapoor and Rajkummar Rao, and Bhediya 2, featuring Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon. In addition to these sequels, Maddock Films had also introduced fresh additions to the horror-comedy realm, including Shakti Shalini and Chamunda, leading up to a grand multiverse showdown in Doosara Mahayudh.
The makers had also unveiled the release dates for other films in the horror-comedy series, including Thama (Diwali 2025), Shakti Shalini (31 December 2025), Bhediya 2 (14 August 2026), Chamunda (4 December 2026), Maha Munjya (24 December 2027), Pehla Mahayudh (11 August 2028), and Doosara Mahayudh (18 October 2028).
In A Nutshell
There have been many reports about Kiara Advani being part of Maddock's Shakti Shalini. Recently, Pinkvilla shared that Saiyaara's Aneet Padda has been roped in, but the production house released an official statement confirming these are all speculations.
ALSO READ | Maddock Films Horror-Comedy Universe Slate: Among More, Stree 3, Bhediya 2 And Maha Munjya
