Malayalam director and writer Jeethu Joseph will make his Hindi debut with a horror-themed thriller starring Rishi Kapoor and Emraan Hashmi, producers Azure Entertainment and Viacom 18 Motion Pictures announced on Monday.

Joseph, who made his directorial debut in 2007 with Detective, is best known for the Mohanlal-starrer Drishyam (2013), which is the second highest-grossing Malayalam film of all time. Drishyam chronicles the story of a man who goes to desperate lengths to protect his family from the repercussions of a crime. The film was remade in several languages, including in Tamil as Papanasam (2015) and in Hindi as Drishyam (2015). Joseph’s other hits include Mummy & Me (2010), My Boss (2012), Memories (2013) and Aadhi (2018).

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In a statement on the as-yet untitled project, Joseph said, “Directing a Hindi feature film has been on the anvil for some time and I have been waiting for the right story. This crime mystery thriller with elements of horror has excited me tremendously and we have got perfect casting for the two protagonists in the film. I am looking forward to start the film at the earliest.”

Haashmi said he was “really excited” about the project. “The film will be a riveting, nail biting treat for fans of the genre and with Jeethu at the helm of things, I’m confident the film will be a game changer,” he added.

Production is scheduled to take place between May and July.