Priyanka Karki is gearing up for her latest horror movie, Mummy, set to hit theaters on Magh 25 (February 7). The film brings her to the forefront, showcasing a character who embarks on an intense journey into the eerie, the mysterious, and the unknown. However, for the actress, working in horror as a genre has been quite challenging.
Reflecting on her previous experiences, Priyanka candidly admitted that her earlier ventures in horror films, such as Chi Musi Chi, Mala, and the short film Kichkandi, failed to meet her expectations. But to her surpries, even she couldn’t experience the intended chills while watching her own performances back then.
“I’ve acted in many horror films, but when I watched those films in theaters, I didn’t feel scared at all,” she confessed during the song release event for Mummy in Kamaladi on Monday.
Acknowledging the importance of horror films to evoke fear, Priyanka openly critiqued her past works.
“A horror film should scare the audience. But if they don’t feel the fear, it reflects poorly on the film—and on me,” she explained, revealing her frustration over how such projects have impacted her reputation.
Despite these challenges, Priyanka considers Mala her best work in the genre so far. She also highlighted the range difficulties behind the scenes, from tight budgets to compromised cinematography, sound, and VFX, which she believes hindered her previous films’ potential.
“Most scripts start strong, but only about 30% translates effectively onto the screen,” she said, admitting that these shortcomings have left her somewhat traumatized about horror films.
Determined to break the cycle with Mummy, Priyanka has been proactive in ensuring director Sarma Nirola focuses on high-quality sound design and visual effects.
“I’ve emphasized to Samir that the VFX and sound need to be flawless,” she shared, adding that she wants every scene to genuinely scare, not amuse, the audience.
This time, Priyanka is ready to leave a lasting impression and hopes Mummy will redefine her journey in horror cinema.
