“Chaar Diwaari” is a 2025 Hindi language psychological horror short written and directed by Syed Shadan. The 20 minute production is presented by filmmaker Anurag Kashyap and producer Ranjan Singh, with Shivek Gupta and Shadan serving as producers and Aditya Joshi as executive producer. Garage Blues Productions and Malthouse Films produced the short in association with Yellow Elephant Productions.
Born and raised in Raipur, Shadan began making shorts during his teenage years and has also directed advertisements, music videos and experimental productions. His earlier work includes the science fiction short “Overdrive,” which incorporated artificial intelligence technology, and “The Carnival.” “Chaar Diwaari” was selected for the Wench Film Festival, Ootpatang Film Festival, Falcon International Film Festival, Madrid Film Awards and Jaipur International Film Festival before its North American premiere at the 2026 Fantasia International Film Festival.
A young man searching for somewhere to live is introduced to an apartment by an unusually enthusiastic real estate agent. The residence appears comfortable and remarkably affordable, although the agent’s behaviour and the seemingly perfect terms immediately make the prospective tenant suspicious. Despite his reservations, the man accepts the offer and moves into the property, believing that he has found a solution to his housing problems.
The atmosphere of mystery and horror is introduced from the first second through the music, while close shots of the protagonist’s worried face intensify the sentiment, even though the real estate agent’s presentation of the house suggests that something more normal is taking place. As soon as the tenant is alone, however, the uncanny occurrences begin. Items fall for no apparent reason, a mouse seems to be hiding somewhere, possessions disappear and the apartment appears smaller to him, even though the maid sent by the real estate agent does not seem to notice anything unusual.
The strange occurrences continue, while the protagonist’s mental state gradually deteriorates as he tries to understand whether everything is taking place solely in his mind or whether something else is happening. A party held in his apartment does not help matters either, and soon the protagonist finds himself in a situation from which he seems unable to escape.
Syed Shadan directs a work that appears to criticise the tactics of real estate agents, presenting them as people who will stop at nothing to complete a deal, even when they know that the house they are offering is problematic. Although this comment forms the basis of the narrative, the focus remains on the way the tenant loses his grip on reality, with increasingly severe physical consequences. At the same time, it is never clear whether what is happening is supernatural or exists only in his mind. Whatever the explanation, however, the accusation remains the same.
Quite interesting is the way the atmosphere of ambiguity and horror is presented, with DP Rajiv Malu using extensive close shots and a number of compositions from unusual angles to heighten the aforementioned sense. Sanyukta Kaza’s editing also works particularly well, especially when the lapses in time strengthen the atmosphere and add to the feeling that something strange is happening. The scenes during the party, the blood on the wall and the truly claustrophobic final part cement the quality of the audiovisual presentation.
Abhinav Jha, in the role of the protagonist, highlights his character’s downward spiral with gusto, even though his performance becomes slightly excessive on occasion. Nevertheless, his growing despair essentially dictates the entire short and communicates the increasing psychological and physical pressure he experiences inside the apartment.
“Chaar Diwaari” follows the latest tendencies of elevated horror, combining the genre with social commentary and doing so with artistry. All in all, this is a rather competent effort.
