The Vvaan Movie Review: Sidharth Malhotra’s forest adventure has solid story but gets lost in execution in the second half
The Vvaan - Force of the Forrest has released in theaters on September 25. Read Pinkvilla's review below.
Published on Sep 25, 2026 | 12:19 PM IST | 3K
(PC: Balaji Motion Pictures)
Name: The Vvaan - Force of the Forrest
Director: Deepak Kumar Mishra
Cast: Sidharth Malhotra, Tamannaah, Sunil Grover, Maniesh Paul, Shweta Tiwari, Anup Soni, Sulbha Arya
Writer: Arunabh Kumar
Rating: 2.5/5
Plot
The Vvaan: Force of the Forest opens with the legend of Van Devi, introducing its mythology through animated visuals before shifting to Rishi played by Sidharth Malhotra, a civil engineer living in Mumbai with his wife Mamta, a school teacher, portrayed by Tamannaah Bhatia. A rational, self-professed atheist, Rishi has stayed away from his hometown Devanchal following an incident six years earlier that left Mamta and him deeply distressed. It also shows how his family ties then get affected due to it.
When his elder brother calls him to their hometown during Chhath Puja, Rishi returns with the only motive to resolve a land-related matter. Upon reaching, he crosses path with a sacred forest believed to be protected by a supernatural force and one that villagers are forbidden from entering after sunset. When a villager’s bull wanders inside, Rishi follows it into the forest and experiences something he cannot explain. Meanwhile, a local official’s road project threatens the forest and the beliefs surrounding it, giving way to conflict between development, faith, and nature.
What works
The film’s biggest strength is the world it attempts to create. The idea of a sacred forest, the Van Devi legend, the Bhutakkas and the tension between belief and rationality provide the foundation for an atmospheric fantasy adventure. The Bihar setting and incorporation of Chhath Puja give the story a distinctive cultural identity, while the forest offers plenty of scope for mystery, folklore and supernatural intrigue. The pairing of Sidharth Malhotra and Tamannaah Bhatia also adds an appealing emotional dimension. The first half is decent and got off with a solid start.
Visually, the film succeeds in presenting its mythology as something unexplored. Beneath the fantasy, the story also touches upon a relevant generational conflict. Rishi represents a generation increasingly distanced from traditional faith, as ambition, greed and the temptation of shortcuts take precedence over inherited beliefs.
What doesn't work
Unfortunately, the film struggles in the second half. The screenplay moves between folklore, mythology, superhero-style action, family drama, romance, and comedy without establishing a rhythm. The forest, which should provide the film with its strongest sense of atmosphere and dread, does not feel mysterious. Even when the story introduces supernatural elements, the tension does not build effectively enough, making the central mystery less compelling than the premise suggests.
Despite being set against a culturally significant backdrop, the film does not always give Devanchal enough local exposure. The humor is another forced element, frequently arriving when the story needs tension and disrupting the mood. By the climax, the film moves towards exaggerated supernatural action, creating a shift that feels disconnected from the folklore-driven world established earlier. Apart from this, the constant need for branding in the first half of the film is absolutely unnecessary. The fact that Rishi and Mamta lead a well-to-do life despite the mention of their struggles comes across as unrealistic.
Acting performances
Sidharth Malhotra brings physical energy and sincerity to Rishi. His action sequences required a lot of conviction, while he also attempts to bring vulnerability to a man dealing with personal and supernatural turmoil. However, the writing does not give Rishi enough emotional progression, making his transformation less convincing than it could have been.
Tamannaah Bhatia is decent as Mamta but is largely restricted to a supporting role.
Suniel Grover makes an effort to move beyond his familiar comic persona as the antagonist.
Maniesh Paul and Sulabha Arya provide lighter moments, with the veteran actor reminding us of her legendary Kanta ben.
Shweta Tiwari and Anup Soni bring grounded presence. Soni's character serves as a link between Rishi’s urban life and his ancestral roots.
Final verdict
‘The Vvaan – Force of the Forest’ has the foundation of an intriguing fantasy thriller: an ancient forest, a local legend, questions of faith, a conflict between development and nature, and a protagonist forced to confront the supernatural. The film repeatedly hints at a richer story about belief, greed, tradition and the consequences of disturbing nature.
Director Deepak Kumar Mishra, coming from the grounded world of Panchayat, shows visual ambition but struggles to find the balance. The forest could have been the film’s greatest character, but remains underused, while the climax pushes the story into conventional spectacle. There is a fascinating film somewhere inside ‘The Vvaan’, but it gets buried beneath too many competing ideas.
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