Fawzia Mirza to Direct South Asian Horror Film Bhoot

Fawzia Mirza, the director behind the award-winning film The Queen of My Dreams, will direct Bhoot, a new English-language paranormal thriller with South Asian roots. The project comes from Toronto-based production company Champ & Pepper and producer Dana Abraham, who also wrote the script and will star in it. Production aims to start in fall 2026, with casting calls set to roll out soon.

Background

Fawzia Mirza grew up in Canada, born in London, Ontario, and later living in Sydney, Nova Scotia. She moved to Chicago for law school but shifted her path to filmmaking. Her early work includes short films and web series like Kam Kardashian and Brown Girl Problems, where she often wrote, produced, and starred. In 2017, she co-wrote and starred in Signature Move, which premiered at SXSW and picked up over 14 awards, including a Jury Prize at Outfest.

Mirza's feature debut, The Queen of My Dreams, started as a short film she co-directed with Ryan Logan in 2012. It grew from her personal story about Bollywood heroines and her relationship with her mother, inspired by the film Aradhana. The full feature premiered at TIFF in 2023, screened at SXSW and BFI London, and won multiple honors. It earned five Canadian Screen Award nominations, including Best Adapted Screenplay for Mirza, and took home two wins: Best Performance in a Drama for Amrit Kaur and Best Original Song. In 2024, Mirza shared the DGC Award for Best Direction in a Feature Film with Karen Knox for the same movie.

Her style draws from personal roots as a queer South Asian Muslim filmmaker. The Queen of My Dreams follows a young woman in 1990s Pakistan reconnecting with her mother through old Bollywood tapes. It mixes humor, family ties, and cultural memory. Mirza has spoken about how the film helped her process big emotions from her youth.

"Making it really saved my life in terms of helping me process all those big feelings I was going through." – Fawzia Mirza

She has directed episodes of series like the 2025 Hulu show Deli Boys and produced documentaries such as Survivor Made with Padma Lakshmi. Her shorts, like Saya (Shadow) and Noor & Layla, have played at festivals worldwide. Programs like TIFF's Writers Studio and Paul Feig's FUSE picked her for development support.

Dana Abraham brings her own credits to Bhoot. She appears in Orphan Black: Echoes and works as a multi-hyphenate in front of and behind the camera. Champ & Pepper, based in Toronto, focuses on stories from diverse voices, often with South Asian themes.

Key Details

Bhoot centers on paranormal events tied to South Asian folklore, told in English to reach wide audiences. Abraham's script pulls from cultural ghost stories, blending scares with family drama and identity questions. The story follows characters facing spirits from their past, set in modern Toronto with flashbacks to immigrant life.

Production Timeline

Filming kicks off in fall 2026, likely in Toronto and nearby areas to use local talent and tax credits. Post-production will follow into 2027, aiming for a 2028 release. Casting starts soon, targeting South Asian actors for leads, with some international names in talks. Budget details remain private, but sources say it sits in the mid-range for genre films, around $10-15 million.

Champ & Pepper secured financing from Canadian funds and private investors interested in genre stories from underrepresented groups. Abraham's dual role as writer and star speeds up pre-production. She drew from her family tales of jinn and bhoot sightings to shape the plot.

Mirza's involvement grew from talks with Abraham at a Toronto festival. They share interests in queer and Muslim stories, but Bhoot leans more into horror. Mirza plans to bring the vibrant look from her past work—rich colors, detailed sets, and emotional depth amid the jumps.

What This Means

Bhoot marks a step for South Asian stories in English-language horror, a genre often led by white creators. It could open doors for more films mixing cultural myths with thrills, much like recent hits from other diasporas. Toronto's film scene, already strong in diversity, gets a boost with local production.

For Mirza, this follows her drama success into genre territory. Her awards and festival runs give Bhoot early buzz. Abraham's rising profile adds pull. Expect festival premieres at TIFF or SXSW, building to streaming or theatrical release.

The project highlights growing demand for authentic voices in horror. South Asian paranormal tales, rooted in bhoot and chudail legends, rarely hit big screens in the West. This film could change that, drawing fans of movies like Incantation or Talk to Me.

Mirza's track record shows she handles casts well, from Amrit Kaur's breakout to Gul-e-Rana's energy. Casting announcements will signal the film's scope—likely mixing newcomers with vets like Kaur or Azmi types.

Industry watchers see Bhoot as part of a wave. More South Asian-led genre projects are in development, fueled by streaming platforms hungry for global scares. Toronto's setup, with its studios and crews, makes it ideal.

Abraham's script avoids stereotypes, focusing on real immigrant fears: loss, secrets, hauntings across generations. Mirza's direction will emphasize visuals—shadowy homes, flickering lights, rituals from Pakistan and India.

Crew hires point to repeats from Queen: cinematographer Michael Pierson for vivid shots, production designer Matt Irwin for immersive worlds. Sound design will amp up folklore elements like whispers and chants.

This move positions Mirza for bigger projects. Her shift from personal tales to broad-appeal horror shows range. For Champ & Pepper, it's a chance to scale up after smaller releases.

Fans await how Mirza blends scares with heart. Her past work proves she can make tough shoots—like filming in Pakistan—pay off. Bhoot could be her next award contender.