In the film The Resident, Sean and Maya arrive at an isolated bungalow, seeking peace in its quiet solitude. Yet, from the very first night, an unsettling presence begins to stir within its walls — subtle at first, then increasingly insistent. What seems like a mere coincidence soon acquires intention; what appears to be silence begins to speak. Day by day, the disturbances grow in intensity. The house, once a refuge, becomes a vessel of dread, its every shadow a reminder of something unresolved.
Compelled by fear and fascination, Sean delves into the history of the residence. There, buried beneath years of abandonment, he discovers the tale of a family who once inhabited the same rooms — victims of inexplicable events that spiralled into terror, leaving behind only fragments of their tragedy. Sean calls for help from a freelance medium who promises to help them out. Starring Sean Banerjee, Sabyasachi Chowdhury, Rana Basu Thakur, Raima Ghosh and Pratyusha Roslin, The Resident, directed by Riingo, is based on real events.
“I have always been fascinated by the horror genre. I have always been intrigued by the paranormal and the demonic. I never thought that I would be working in a horror film, but the admiration I have for my director Riingo Banerjee, the plot and the thrill of it, compelled me to do this, and I am very glad that I did! I think horror films nowadays have become really diverse. There are films which are unsettling and disturbing and on the other hand, there are films which frighten you at an instant with jump scares. I am a fan of jump scares,” said Sean Banerjee.
“It was quite an intriguing journey. Our director, Riingo Banerjee, delivered a detailed explanation on the subject before hitting the floor. Though the subject is quite spooky, I personally wasn’t scared anyhow. My character deals with paranormal phenomena. The look of the character was perfectly designed by the production team. I tried to carry the sophisticated intellect and moulded the character eventually. The best part about the horror genre is the versatility and acceptance. Any man sitting at any corner of the world can easily connect to a well-made horror film. Sean and I shared an on-screen bond which multiplied when the camera stopped rolling,” said Sabyasachi Chowdhury.
“Shooting a horror film has always been an ambition and to create a franchise has always been the pursuit. When we developed The Resident as a franchise, we knew this could truly be in the format of The Conjuring, where we would be able to tell the true paranormal experiences that people undergo while residing in the various haunted houses scattered all over India. These are true, real-life stories, adapted to recent times, showcasing the events that the families faced, narrated by a clairvoyant who witnessed the events first-hand. The Resident is a stylised new-age filmmaking venture for me and it was an absolute new experience to shoot those scary scenes. The Resident will truly be a very new experience for the viewers and the fans of the horror genre. The film is based on real events, and we had to stay true when showcasing the actual paranormal experiences that the Patel family faced in the House of Dukhani in Shimla,” said Riingo.
“I always believe the oldest and strongest kind of fear is the fear of the unknown. The Resident is a story of a family situated in Shimla,” said producer Ohendrila Banerjee.
“When I had gone for the dubbing, I realised that while shooting, my voice organically changed and trembled. That was somewhat unnerving. It has been a privilege working on this film portraying such a complex character, that of a woman who’s possessed. Bringing about the subtle nuances of normality and then the stark, terrifying persona of the nether world was, honestly, quite challenging. I’m happy that it’s translated well on screen,” said Pratyusha Roslin.