PVR INOX Pictures brings chilling Irish horror Hokum to India on 15th May 2026
PVR INOX Pictures is set to bring an unsettling wave of atmospheric horror to Indian audiences with Hokum, a chilling Irish folk-horror film releasing in theatres across India on 15th May, 2026. Following its international rollout, the film arrives as a compelling watch for fans of slow-burn psychological horror that lingers long after the credits roll.
Directed by Damian McCarthy, widely noted for his distinctive storytelling in Oddity, Hokum blends psychological tension with eerie folklore, crafting an immersive narrative rooted in isolation, grief, and the fear of the unseen. With a character-first approach, the film draws audiences deep into the mind of its protagonist, making the horror feel both intimate and deeply unsettling.
Headlined by Adam Scott, the film follows Ohm Bauman, a reclusive novelist who retreats to a remote Irish inn to scatter his parents’ ashes – a place steeped in memory and unease. What begins as a quiet, personal journey gradually unravels into a nightmarish experience, as Ohm is plagued by disturbing visions, unexplained occurrences, and chilling local legends of a witch said to haunt the property. As reality begins to blur, he is forced to confront not just the unknown, but the darker corners of his own past.
The film also features David Wilmot, Austin Amelio, and Florence Ordesh, whose performances add texture and tension to the narrative. Set against the stark, atmospheric backdrop of rural Ireland, Hokum leans into mood and ambiguity, creating a world where every shadow feels alive and every silence carries weight. With its slow-building dread, psychologically rich storytelling, and haunting visual tone, Hokum stands apart as a genre film that goes beyond jump scares – offering an experience that is as thought-provoking as it is terrifying.
Speaking about the immersive experience of the film’s setting, Adam Scott shared, “When I first walked on set and saw the set of the honeymoon suite, I immediately felt like there was so much less work I had to do to get into the mindset of Ohm. When you enter that space, immediately the atmosphere is so thick. It was truly the creepiest room I’d ever been in. It feels so real you can almost smell it. There was something so dead about this room that I had this internal, bodily sense that I was in a place where I shouldn’t be. Damian and his team did an incredible job both with conceiving of and executing this incredible set that also tells a really rich, detailed story in and of itself. We didn’t leave that room for a few weeks and it never got boring because there was always a new thing to explore and I was still discovering little bits and pieces of it. My physical performance is a true reflection of the space I was in.”
Director Damian McCarthy added, “My parents had a VHS store when I was very young, so from an early age I found myself drawn to the horror section. As I started making feature films, I became interested in telling stories within the genre, that maybe aren’t just about scares but served as a way to sneak in stories about interesting characters. I love trying to bring people in who are not traditionally horror fans – I would hope that this movie will convert a few people into horror fans because it’s very scary, but there’s good laughs and wonderful performances and there’s enough in it for more than just the horror fans. HOKUM was a little bit different than anything else I had ever written because it is really just following one character very closely, and truly putting him through the ringer. The character isn’t that likeable to begin with and he’s got to win back the audience; you really have got to stick with him, though he can be a little bit unpleasant, so Adam was perfect for that. I always was a fan of his work and knew he could keep the audience pulled in.”
