Ajay Devgn is ready to revisit the grey side of his screen persona. Almost 21 years after Kaal (2005), the actor will play a supernatural, morally ambiguous character in director Rohit Jugraj’s horror film tentatively titled Griha Pravesh.

“The story is fascinating and something out of the ordinary,” says a source close to production, adding that the film was to be shot in a “single schedule in the United Kingdom from July”. Early this year, mid-day had reported that the film will begin rolling in July (The Devil in Devgn – March 25), but his other commitments have pushed the project.

“The first schedule has been postponed because Ajay is shooting the television series Crime Patrol, which he is hosting. He is also completing the last schedule for the jungle adventure film, Ranger. Kumar Mangat [producer] and Rohit felt that it would save more time if they completed a chunk of the schedule in Mumbai and then went to London later in the year,” adds the source.

The film draws inspiration from the book Garuda Puran, a Sanskrit text comprising a dialogue between Lord Vishnu and Garuda, the King of Birds, and compiled by Veda Vyasa. Divided into two parts, it explores life, duties, death, the afterlife and the soul’s journey, as well as karma and rebirth.

“The book is divided in two parts — Purva Khanda that covers life and duties and Preta Khanda, which focuses on death, the afterlife journey of the soul, and funeral rites. It also focuses on whether actions on earth determine a soul’s experiences, peace, or suffering in the afterlife and its future rebirth. Ajay’s character is somewhere connected to all this [as a corrupted soul],” explains the source.

The first week-long schedule, featuring the characters’ introductions, will be “shot on a suburban Mumbai set depicting British house interiors”. Devgn will then promote Drishyam 3, which releases in October, before shooting for the thriller Chauhaan in December. 

This is the second time Ajay Devgn and Rohit Jugraj are working on a horror film. The latter had assisted filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma on the Devgn-led ‘Bhoot’ (2003).