Nicholas Weinstock, an executive producer of the Apple TV+ series Severance, has officially joined the Indian fantasy-horror project Tongue. Weinstock will serve as a producer through his banner, Invention Studios, as the film looks toward a global release strategy designed to emulate the international success of genre-defining hits like Parasite and Get Out.
The film stars Sayani Gupta, who is also producing the project under her banner, Sayani Gupta Movies. The film is written and directed by Krishnarjun Bhattacharya.
The narrative of Tongue follows two estranged sisters who spend a night in their grandmother’s decaying mansion. During their stay, they uncover a series of dark secrets linked to a mysterious, ancient language. The plot incorporates elements of folklore and features monstrous creatures, positioning the film within the fantasy-horror subgenre.
Weinstock has indicated that Tongue represents a significant opportunity for Indian cinema to achieve a high-level genre “crossover.” He noted that while India has a robust film industry, it has yet to produce a horror-themed global smash on the scale of recent South Korean or American prestige horror. The producer believes the script’s unique cultural grounding and high-concept stakes provide the necessary ingredients for that level of international appeal.
Director Krishnarjun Bhattacharya brings a background in both literature and game design to the project. He is recognized as a novelist, specifically for his work on The Tantric Trilogy, which explores themes of Indian mythology and dark fantasy. This project gained early momentum after being selected for the Indo-Canadian Producers’ Lab, an initiative of the South Asian Canadian Film Federation.
According to production reports from Yahoo News, the collaboration between Invention Studios and Sayani Gupta Movies marks a concerted effort to bridge the gap between Indian independent storytelling and Western production standards. The involvement of Invention Studios, which manages a diverse slate of international projects, is expected to streamline the film’s path toward major festival circuits and eventual worldwide distribution.
The film’s focus on atmospheric dread and mythological depth reflects a growing trend in South Asian cinema to move away from traditional “masala” horror toward more grounded, psychological, and culturally specific storytelling. With Weinstock’s involvement, Tongue is positioned as a leading candidate to test the appetite for sophisticated Indian genre films in the global market.
