🎬 Nikita Roy (2025) – Full Overview

📌 Basic Info & Key Credits

Title: Nikita Roy (also referred to as Nikita Roy and the Book of Darkness)
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Director: Kussh S. Sinha (his feature directorial debut, also Sonakshi Sinha’s brother)
Writers: Pavan Kirpalani (original story), Neel Mohanty & Ankur Takrani (screenplay), dialogues by Kussh Sinha & Belal Khalique
Producers: Nicky Vicky Bhagnani Films, Kratos Entertainment, Nikita Pai Films, Vipin Agnihotri Films
Music: Abhinav Shekhar & Rameez Sohail; Lyrics by Abhinav Shekhar & Kaushik Vikas
Cinematography: Anshul Chobey
Editing: Ritesh Soni
Runtime: ~112–116 minutes (1h 52m)
Language / Country: Hindi / India
Budget: ₹25 crore
Release Date: 18 July 2025 (was initially set for late June but postponed to avoid competing releases)

🚨 Watch the Official Trailer

Feel the spooky vibe and tension rising in the official trailer:

🧠 Plot Synopsis

Nikita Roy follows Nikita, a determined author and investigator dedicated to debunking fraud spiritualists. When her brother Sanal (Arjun Rampal) dies mysteriously in London, she travels there to uncover the truth. Her investigation leads her to Amar Dev (Paresh Rawal), a charismatic cult leader who challenged her rational worldview. As eerie supernatural events unfold, Nikita is forced to question everything she believes.

👥 Cast & Characters

Actor	Role
Sonakshi Sinha	Nikita Roy – rationalist author turned investigator
Paresh Rawal	Amar Dev – unsettling cult leader whose faith masks danger
Arjun Rampal	Sanal Roy – Nikita’s brother, whose death triggers the story
Suhail Nayyar	Jolly – Nikita’s colleague and ex-partner
Kallirroi Tziafeta	Freya – a pivotal minor character whose presence haunts
Supporting cast includes Supreet Bedi, Kumall Grewal, Paul Coster, and others

🎥 Production & Background

Nikita Roy is Kussh S. Sinha’s feature film debut. He comes from a film family-son of Shatrughan Sinha and brother to the lead Sonakshi Sinha.
Announced in 2022, the film was shot primarily in the UK-in London and Hertfordshire, UK locations like Watford .
Sonakshi and her brother finally collaborated on this project after previous attempts didn’t materialize. Kussh praised Paresh Rawal's commitment and talent, calling him one of the most desired actors in the industry .
The film was postponed from late June to mid‑July to avoid a clash with big releases like Maa, F1, and Kannappa .

📊 Reception – Critics & Reviews

Overall Outlook: Mixed to modest reviews

Firstpost: 2/5 – praised concept but criticized execution, fake accents, and poor dubbing .
Moneycontrol (Sarika Sharma): 3/5 – applauded Sonakshi’s conviction and the haunting cinematography, though emotional beats felt rushed .
Times of India (Renuka Vyavahare): 3/5 – noted restrained horror style, though lacking in character depth and suspense build‑up .
Koimoi: ~3.5/5 – strong visual tension and performances, but the climax felt too abrupt and technically dense for Bollywood audiences .
Indiaforums: 3.5/5 – emphasize the film’s haunting tone and psychological undercurrents over typical horror tropes .

Common praised elements: Sonakshi & Paresh Rawal’s performances; atmosphere and psychological tension; themes exploring superstition vs. rationality.
Common criticisms: uneven pacing, rushed climax, underused supporting characters, narrative gaps.

💵 Box Office Performance

The film opened weakly at the box office:

First 6 days: total net earning ~₹1.12 crore; day 1: ₹22 lakh → day 6: ₹7 lakh.
Projected Risk: With lifetime gross estimated under ₹1.5 crore, Nikita Roy is on track to be one of the lowest‑grossing Bollywood films of 2025 .
Despite a budget of ₹25 crore, the theatrical returns suggest the film likely did not break even, especially given strong competition like Saiyaara dominating screens .

📌 Interesting Facts & SEO‑Friendly Points

Family collaboration: Kussh S. Sinha’s directorial debut starring his sister Sonakshi Sinha—rare case of sibling duo in lead roles behind the camera and onscreen .
Genre edge: Bollywood seldom takes supernatural thrillers seriously; Nikita Roy avoids conventional jump scares, favouring psychological tension and subtle horror .
Rationalism vs superstition: Thematically driven by Nikita’s rational psyche clashing with blind faith—mirrors real‑world debates on spiritual fraud and truth.
Filming location: Entirely shot in the UK, lending a grittier, Western noir atmosphere uncommon in Indian-set horror.
Star backing: Salman Khan publicly supported Sonakshi’s big return, calling her "Devi," generating buzz before release .

✅ Final Take

Nikita Roy is a daring attempt by Bollywood to blend mystery, ps ychological thriller, and supernatural horror, anchored by Sonakshi Sinha's steely performance and Paresh Rawal’s chilling presence. Though its dramatic pacing and climax polarise viewers, the film’s thematic ambition and atmospheric tone make it a unique experiment in the genre. It’s especially notable as Kussh Sinha’s directorial debut and a rare family-led filmmaking collaboration.

For fans of atmospheric cinema and those interested in films that probe the thin boundary between belief and scepticism, Nikita Roy is worth a watch—even if it didn’t shine at the box office.

Nikita Roy (2025) Movie Explained: Sonakshi Sinha’s Chilling Supernatural Thriller