While Marvel Studios’ decision to cancel the new ‘Blade’ installment has drawn criticism from fans and actors alike, a new Indian horror-action film is stepping into the void with a bloody vengeance. Titled ‘Half,’ the movie directed by Samjad delivers the high-octane, supernatural combat that genre enthusiasts have been missing since Wesley Snipes’ iconic turn as the half-vampire vigilante.
Co-written by Samjad and Praveen Viswanath, ‘Half’ follows twin siblings played by Ranjith Sajeev and Aiswarya Raj. After being robbed and abandoned for dead on a remote highway, the pair discover they possess vampiric traits and swear retribution against their attackers. The narrative quickly evolves into a visceral spectacle of gore and combat, featuring fight choreography by Very Tri Yulisman, known for his work on ‘The Raid 2’ and ‘The Night Comes for Us.’
Samjad approached the project with a specific aesthetic vision: stripping away the stylized slow-motion common in modern superhero fare to create something raw and grounded. ‘What if we take a classic vampire action thriller and execute it in a completely raw, grounded way without a single frame of slow motion?’ Samjad explained. ‘That core idea felt so much fresher and visually exciting to me.’
To achieve this retro feel, the production team deliberately emulated the look of 1980s and ’90s cinema. Samjad noted that they utilized zoom lenses and manual camera techniques to replicate the era’s filmmaking style, aiming for the authenticity of older equipment rather than relying on modern robotic cams.
The film’s premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival’s Midnight Madness section, as well as its showing at Fantastic Fest, has generated significant buzz. Audiences have responded enthusiastically to the clear, crisp action sequences, many of which are shot during daylight hours—a deliberate choice that challenges traditional vampire lore.
Production was fraught with peril. Samjad revealed that filming took place in a desert environment where temperatures soared to 56 degrees Celsius (132.8 Fahrenheit). The crew faced sudden weather shifts, including hailstorms that destroyed set pieces and equipment. Complicating matters further, production was halted for two months due to civil unrest between India and Pakistan. ‘We were stuck in the middle of the desert… We could see the missiles and everything going in the sky,’ Samjad recalled. ‘We were in a dangerous situation, and somehow with our production’s help, we came back to our home.’
Despite these obstacles, the filmmakers found creative freedom in their protagonist’s unique physiology. Unlike traditional vampires who burn in sunlight, the half-vampires in ‘Half’ do not combust but lose their regenerative abilities when exposed to the sun. Healing only occurs in shadows or darkness. Samjad also drew upon regional folklore, blending European vampire mythology with elements from older Indian black-and-white cinema and indigenous stories.
‘Half’ is scheduled to screen at the upcoming Sitges Film Festival. The production is currently seeking distribution partners in the United States.
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