1920: Evil Returns
A quasi-sequel horror film from the 1920 series.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
1920: Evil Returns is a 2012 Indian Hindi-language supernatural horror film directed by Bhushan Patel and written by Vikram Bhatt. It is a quasi-sequel to the 2008 film 1920 and the second installment of the 1920 film series. The film stars Aftab Shivdasani, Tia Bajpai, Vidya Malvade, and Sharad Kelkar, and follows a reclusive writer who brings an amnesiac woman into his home, leading to disturbing and haunting events.
- release_date
- 2 November 2012
- director
- Bhushan Patel
- writer
- Vikram Bhatt
- starring
- Aftab Shivdasani, Tia Bajpai, Vidya Malvade, Sharad Kelkar
- genre
- Supernatural horror
- language
- Hindi
- box_office_domestic
- ₹229 million (US$2.4 million) nett
Lore & Background
The film's plot centers on Jaidev Verma, a famous poet living as a loner after the apparent death of his love, Smriti. He finds an unconscious girl near a lake and brings her home; she has amnesia but remembers Jaidev's poems. Jaidev names her Sangeeta, but she experiences frightening phenomena, including vomiting iron nails and seeing ghosts. The story unfolds to reveal that Sangeeta is actually Smriti, possessed by the vengeful spirit of Jaidev's friend Amar, who had deceived and assaulted Smriti before dying. The climax involves a battle to exorcise the spirit by burning Amar's corpse.
Reader's Guide
1920: Evil Returns is notable as part of a series of quasi-sequels released under the Bhatt Banner, which included films like Raaz – The Mystery Continues and Murder 2, each having little connection to their prequels but sharing similar genres. The film received mixed critical reception, with some reviewers praising its scares and others calling it bland. It performed well at the box office, collecting ₹229 million nett domestically, and its success prompted a sequel, 1920 London, released in 2016. The film also gained academic attention: a case study on its social media marketing, conducted by U Dinesh Kumar of IIM Bangalore and Ami Shah of IntelliAssist, was later published by Harvard Business Publishing.
Did You Know?
- The film's trailer was released on 28 September 2012.
- The music was composed by Chirantan Bhatt and received positive reviews from critics.
- The film's opening weekend collection of ₹122.7 million net was better than any other release that week except Skyfall.
- A case study on the film's social media marketing was published by Harvard Business Publishing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is 1920: Evil Returns?
Released on 2 November 2012, it is a Hindi-language supernatural horror film directed by Bhushan Patel with a screenplay by Vikram Bhatt. It stands as the second entry in the 1920 film series.
Who stars in 1920: Evil Returns?
The principal cast includes Aftab Shivdasani, Tia Bajpai, Vidya Malvade, and Sharad Kelkar, who carry the film's central dramatic and horror threads.
What is the story of 1920: Evil Returns about?
The plot follows a reclusive writer who takes in a woman suffering from amnesia, only to find his household gradually consumed by increasingly disturbing supernatural occurrences.
How does 1920: Evil Returns relate to the 2008 original?
Rather than serving as a direct narrative continuation, it functions as a quasi-sequel that reuses the haunted-house framework while telling a largely self-contained story.
Why do fans consider 1920: Evil Returns important to the franchise?
As the series' second installment, it demonstrated that the 1920 concept could sustain multiple entries and helped solidify the haunted-house horror subgenre within mainstream Hindi cinema.
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