Kangana Ranaut Makes Hollywood Jump With Horror Drama 'Blessed Be the Evil'; Production Escapes Trump Tariffs by Firing Up Camera in New York
Academy Award-winning Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut is making her Hollywood debut, taking on her first leading role in the horror drama "Blessed Be the Evil." The Lions Movies project features Ranaut alongside Tyler Posey (Teen Wolf) and Scarlet Rose Stallone (Tulsa King).
Production will start this summer in New York, with producers saying they had particularly selected U.S. locations so as to "avoid running into any uncertainties due to the newly announced Trump industry tariffs."
Anurag Rudra directs from a screenplay he has written with the co-cred Gatha Tiwary, Lions Movies founder and president. Rudra will be producer as well, and the director of photography will be confirmed in Wade Muller.
Based on the synopsis, the movie is about a Christian couple whose love and faith are later challenged by a malevolent entity after they buy an old, abandoned farm that has a bad history following a traumatic miscarriage.
"Having been born and brought up in rural India, I was fed stories that were etched into my mind and heart," said Rudra. "This mythology was so extraordinary that I used to believe all the stories myself, and wish to present them globally through the medium of cinema – the strongest and most potent way to link to dreams and reality."
Tiwary further added: "A tale like 'Blessed Be The Evil' is extremely rare. Lions Movies has crafted a spine-tingling story with record-breaking suspense and drama. It also has excellent chances in international markets, both in streaming and selling.
Ranaut lends significant star power to the venture. The multi-hyphenate not only is a renowned actor with four National Film Awards and four Filmfare Awards, but also a director and politician who is presently a Member of Parliament in India's Lok Sabha. Her directorial venture "Emergency," in which she played Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, got worldwide theatrical release this year.
The film will be shown to international buyers during the upcoming Cannes Film Market. London/Stroud Casting is casting additional.
Posey is represented by Independent Artist Group, Luber Roklin Entertainment, and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman, Smelkinson & Christopher; Stallone is represented by Independent Artist Group and Untitled Entertainment. Robert Benun of BenunLaw negotiated on behalf of production.
Lions Movies is also in production for "American Import," a crime drama about family ties, rivalry between siblings, success, corruption and greed.
