Bollywood’s obsession with snakes isn’t new. The fascination began in the 1950s with films like ‘Nagin’ (1954) starring Vyjayanthimala, followed by the cult 1976 film ‘Nagin’ with Reena Roy. But it was Sridevi’s iconic turn in ‘Nagina’ (1986) that immortalised the naagin genre. Her dance number ‘Main Teri Dushman’ became a pop culture moment, and the film was both a commercial and critical success.
Though the trend faded over time, with only occasional attempts like ‘Hisss’ (2010) with Mallika Sherawat, it never truly lost its charm in Indian pop culture.
After the success of ‘The Dirty Picture,’ Ekta Kapoor had plans to bring a high-glamour naagin story to the big screen. She reportedly approached stars like Priyanka Chopra and Katrina Kaif for the lead role. While Priyanka showed interest, the film never took off.
Instead, Kapoor pivoted to television. In 2015, she launched ‘Naagin’ as a TV series under Balaji Telefilms—and it became an instant hit. From Mouni Roy to Tejasswi Prakash, the show turned several actresses into household names. Today, it's one of the longest-running supernatural franchises on Indian television.
Fast-forward to 2025/6, and Karan Johar is ready to reimagine the naagin universe—but with a funny bone.
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Karan Johar-Kartik Aaryan Naagzilla
Johar announced ‘Naagzilla’ with a motion poster on Instagram, captioned, “Insanon wali picharein toh bahut dekh li, ab dekho naagon wali pichchar! #NaagZilla - Naag lok ka pehla kaand… Funnn phailaane aa raha hai - Preyamvadeshwar Pyare Chand… Naag Panchami par aapke nazdeeki Sssssinemas mein - 14 August 2026 ko.”
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Produced by Karan Johar and Mahaveer Jain (known for backing Josh and Baazigar), ‘Naagzilla’ stars Kartik Aaryan in a double role. The film will be directed by Mrighdeep Singh Lamba, who’s best known for the Fukrey franchise.
Industry insiders have revealed that Kartik Aaryan will play two contrasting characters—both connected to snake mythology. The story is said to revolve around a quirky yet chaotic human-vs-snake showdown, with Aaryan’s characters constantly walking the tightrope between heroism and villainy.
Sources say the script is so offbeat and uproarious that it’s already being touted as “funnier than all the Fukrey films combined.”
With ‘Naagzilla’, Bollywood is ready to bring back the slithery folklore—but with a modern twist. While Ekta Kapoor revived the genre for TV, Karan Johar is attempting to give it a big-screen makeover. Add to that Kartik Aaryan’s flair for comedy and Mrighdeep Lamba’s satirical touch, and this could be a blockbuster in the making.
'Naagzilla' releases in cinemas on August 14, 2026, just in time for Naag Panchami. Interestingly, this puts it in direct competition with the sequel to Varun Dhawan's supernatural thriller 'Bhediya,' as Maddock Films has announced 'Bhediya 2' will arrive in theatres on the exact same day.
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Image Courtesy: IMDb
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