Amazon MGM Studios and Colour Yellow have set “Nayyi Navelli,” an Indian fantasy family entertainer starring Yami Gautam Dhar, for release in cinemas this October, timed to the Dussehra festival period.
Balaji Mohan directs from a script by Himanshu Sharma and Divy Nidhi Sharma. Aanand L Rai and Sharma produce through Colour Yellow, marking the banner’s first collaboration with Amazon MGM Studios. G.V. Prakash Kumar composes the music.
The story follows a new bride whose arrival turns a turbulent household in Meerut into a picture of domestic harmony, until her brother-in-law grows convinced that his seemingly perfect sister-in-law is secretly a “daayan,” or witch. The film is billed as a blend of family comedy and fantasy adventure built around festive theatrical viewing.
Nikhil Madhok, director and head of SVOD Originals at Prime Video India and Amazon MGM Studios, called the project a natural fit for the holiday. “As we saw ‘Nayyi Navelli’ finally come together, there was an instant, collective realization that this is THE Dussehra film. No other date would do it justice,” Madhok said. He added that Gautam Dhar and the supporting cast delivered strong performances, and that the studio, working alongside Colour Yellow, expects the film to be a top choice for family audiences during the holiday.
Rai described the project as one built on surprise. “‘Nayyi Navelli’ is the kind of story that surprises you at every turn,” he said, noting that he and Sharma were drawn to how the script folds fantasy, comedy and adventure into a story about family. Rai said Gautam Dhar was an obvious fit for the role, bringing both warmth and mischief to the part, and that he is looking forward to the studio’s first project with Amazon MGM Studios reaching audiences.
Colour Yellow, founded by Rai, has built its slate around original stories with strong character work, including “Raanjhanaa,” “Tanu Weds Manu,” “Tere Ishk Mein,” “Tumbbad” and “Tu Yaa Main.” Yami Gautam Dhar’s most recent role was a cameo in blockbuster “Dhurandhar: The Revenge,” and she headlined “Haq” and “Article 370.”