Adil Hussain to Star in “Secrets of a Mountain Serpent,”

Mumbai: Internationally acclaimed Indian actor Adil Hussain is set to mesmerize audiences once again in Nidhi Saxena’s upcoming feature Secrets of a Mountain Serpent, which will have its world premiere at the prestigious 82nd Venice Film Festival later this year.

Hussain, known for his powerful performances in Life of Pi, The Reluctant Fundamentalist, and Hotel Salvation, takes on the role of Manik Guho, a mysterious figure whose arrival upends the solitary life of a war-widowed teacher in a remote Himalayan village. Filmed in the misty hills of Uttarakhand, the film explores grief, myth, and womanhood against the haunting silence of post-conflict India.

Director Nidhi Saxena, whose debut Sad Letters of an Imaginary Woman premiered at the 2024 Busan International Film Festival, describes working with Hussain as “mystical, almost spiritual.” She recalls a climactic scene where the crew stood breathless, afraid to break the spell of his performance. “Adil filled the silences with something sacred,” she told Variety.

The narrative follows Barkha (played by Trimala Adhikari), a teacher living in emotional exile since the Kargil War. When Guho enters her life, their entangled destinies echo an ancient legend of a serpent god waiting for his bride. The film blends myth and realism with an emphasis on feeling over plot.

Produced under the Venice Biennale College Cinema initiative, the Indo-Italian-Sri Lankan co-production received a €200,000 grant. Vimukthi Jayasundara returns as producer, joined by a talented crew including Avni Goyal, Saman Alvitigala, Neeraj Gera, and Bridge Postworks.

Secrets of a Mountain Serpent joins a rare line of Indian films selected for Venice, promising a quiet yet profound cinematic experience.