On the night of Kali Chaudas, three innocent carpenters find themselves locked inside a factory rumoured to be haunted. As bizarre and darkly funny events pile up around them, they must unravel the mystery of the place before it turns deadly. Their only way out is to solve the spectral puzzle before they become part of the folklore themselves.
Karkhanu markets itself as Gujarat's first smart horror comedy, and the pitch is simple enough to work on a poster: three ordinary carpenters get locked inside a haunted factory on the night of Kali Chaudas and have to think their way out before the place claims them. Rushabh Thanki, who also co-wrote it, treats the confined single-location premise as a playground rather than a limitation, letting the scares and the jokes take turns until the two start feeding each other.
The film is built around its ensemble rather than a marquee star. Archan Trivedi anchors it as Ratan Kaka, with Parth Madhukrushna and Hardik Shastri filling out the trapped trio, and the veteran writer and orator Kaajal Oza Vaidya turning up in a role that drew attention on its own. Word of mouth from viewers lands on a consistent note: the setup takes its time, but the second half is where the film clicks, unravelling its haunted-factory mystery through a run of gags that reward the patience. That warm word of mouth is striking for a low-budget regional release made for roughly one and a half crore.
It is not flawless. A first act that leans on atmosphere over momentum, effects that betray the modest budget, and comic beats that stretch a little too long will test some viewers. But Karkhanu is attempting something Gujarati cinema rarely tries, blending genuine folklore dread with broad comedy inside one enclosed set, and it mostly lands. Backed by a national distributor in Panorama Studios, it is a small, sincere swing that knows exactly what kind of night out it wants to be.
Verdict
A confident, low-budget swing at Gujarat's first true horror-comedy that wins you over once the second half kicks in.
What works
- Fresh premise: a real horror-comedy on a single set
- Strong ensemble led by Archan Trivedi
- Second half pays off with genuine laughs
- Kaajal Oza Vaidya's scene-stealing turn
What holds it back
- Slow, atmosphere-heavy first act
- Budget shows in the effects
- A few comic beats overstay their welcome
- Thin on marquee star power
Cast & crew
Writers: Rushabh Thanki, Parth Madhukrushna, Poojan Parikh
Music: Nishith Dhinora
Cast: Archan Trivedi (Ratan Kaka), Parth Madhukrushna (Ramesh), Hardik Shastri (Mansukh), Kaajal Oza Vaidya, Raju Barot, Makrand Shukla
Watch the trailer
Play the official trailer on YouTubeMore Comedy Gujarati films
Frequently asked
Is Karkhanu worth watching?
A confident, low-budget swing at Gujarat's first true horror-comedy that wins you over once the second half kicks in. Kevu Che rates it 3.5 out of 5.
What is Karkhanu about?
On the night of Kali Chaudas, three innocent carpenters find themselves locked inside a factory rumoured to be haunted. As bizarre and darkly funny events pile up around them, they must unravel the mystery of the place before it turns deadly. Their only way out is to solve the spectral puzzle before they become part of the folklore themselves.
What is the IMDb rating of Karkhanu?
Karkhanu (2024) holds an IMDb rating of 7.4 out of 10 from 110 votes.