Nayyi Navelli trailer pits Yami Gautam's Mohini against a demon king

The trailer for director Balaji Mohan's fantasy comedy Nayyi Navelli has been released, with Yami Gautam leading the film as Mohini, a woman who is labelled a "daayan", or witch, The Indian Express reported on 30 September 2026. The trailer follows her entry into her marital home, her growing bond with the family and her eventual confrontation with a demon king.

The film is set for a worldwide theatrical release on 16 October, according to The Indian Express. Nayyi Navelli also marks Balaji Mohan's first Bollywood film and his return to directing after more than seven years, while Gautam arrives at the project shortly after receiving her first National Film Award for Best Actress.

Nayyi Navelli trailer: key facts

• The Indian Express reported that Nayyi Navelli is a fantasy comedy starring Yami Gautam as Mohini.
• The trailer follows a teaser that was unveiled three weeks earlier.
• Mohini is labelled a "daayan" and is shown battling a demon king as the trailer develops.
• The film invokes Dussehra and Ravana as part of its fantasy conflict, according to The Indian Express.
• Nayyi Navelli is Balaji Mohan's first Bollywood film and his return to directing after more than seven years.
• The film is scheduled to release in cinemas worldwide on 16 October.

How the Nayyi Navelli trailer begins with Mohini entering her new home

The trailer opens with Mohini arriving at her in-laws' house for the first time after her marriage, according to The Indian Express. Her entrance immediately establishes the suspicion around her, with her brother-in-law taunting her and asking, "Show us your feet; let's see if your footprint is straight."

The exchange introduces the film's supernatural premise through the family's response to Mohini, who has been labelled a witch. Rather than keeping her position within the household fixed, however, the trailer then moves towards scenes in which she begins to win the family over.

The Indian Express reported that one character says, "Mohini has turned our fortunes around," as her presence becomes associated with positive changes in the house. In another moment, she is shown curing the grandmother's knee pain with a single touch, further shifting the family's perception of her.

Mohini's family story turns into a supernatural battle

The increasingly warm domestic scenes do not last. The Indian Express reported that Mohini's brother-in-law warns, "All those good things happen in the house. The real bloodbath happens outside," as the trailer offers a glimpse of Mohini's real face.

From there, the fantasy-comedy setup expands into a larger conflict. Mohini is shown beginning a battle against a demon king, moving the story beyond the family home and into a mythological confrontation.

The trailer therefore appears to structure Mohini's journey in stages: first as a new bride treated with suspicion, then as a figure who earns the affection of her new family, and finally as the central force in a supernatural battle. The Indian Express's account of the trailer places that escalation at the heart of the film's reveal.

Why Ravana and Dussehra are central to the trailer's conflict

The trailer directly invokes Ravana while setting up the threat Mohini must face. According to The Indian Express, one line says, "In the Treta Yuga, a demon went to great lengths to gain this power. You must have heard of him: Ravana!"

The villain's face is not revealed immediately in the trailer. Instead, The Indian Express reported that he is heard making a threat tied specifically to Dussehra: "This time, I will take your Dussehra from you, and then Ravana will rule over the entire universe."

That dialogue gives the trailer's fantasy conflict a clear mythological frame. Ravana is not merely referenced as part of the background mythology; his name and the Dussehra festival are used to define the stakes of the confrontation that Mohini faces.

The Indian Express did not identify the actor playing the villain in its report, and the trailer itself, as described by the publication, deliberately withholds his face during the initial reveal.

Nayyi Navelli key credits

Role	Name
Director	Balaji Mohan
Lead actor	Yami Gautam
Script and dialogues	Divy Nidhi Sharma
Story	Himanshu Sharma
Music	GV Prakash Kumar
Cinematography	Rishi Punjabi
Editing	Sumeet Kotian
Production design	Ravi Srivastava

Yami Gautam returns after Haq and her first National Film Award

Nayyi Navelli is Yami Gautam's first film since her performance in director Suparn Verma's Haq in 2025, which The Indian Express described as critically acclaimed. Her return to the screen comes during a significant period in her career.

The week before the Nayyi Navelli trailer was released, Gautam received her first National Film Award for Best Actress, according to The Indian Express. The award was for her performance in Aditya Suhas Jambhale's Article 370, released in 2024.

That places Nayyi Navelli as her next film following both Haq and the National Award recognition for Article 370. In the new film, she takes on a markedly different role as Mohini, with the trailer presenting the character through domestic comedy, supernatural suspicion and fantasy action.

Balaji Mohan moves from Tamil cinema to his first Bollywood film

Nayyi Navelli is also a crossover project for director Balaji Mohan. The Indian Express reported that the Tamil filmmaker is making his first Bollywood film with the project and returning to directing after an absence of more than seven years.

Mohan's earlier credits include Kadhalil Sodhappuvadhu Yeppadi from 2012, Vaayai Moodi Pesavum from 2014, Maari from 2015 and Maari 2 from 2018, according to The Indian Express. Nayyi Navelli therefore represents both a new language-industry step and a directorial comeback for the filmmaker.

The screenplay and dialogues are by Divy Nidhi Sharma, based on a story by Himanshu Sharma. The Indian Express also reported that GV Prakash Kumar has composed the music, Rishi Punjabi handled cinematography, Sumeet Kotian edited the film and Ravi Srivastava served as production designer.

When Nayyi Navelli releases in cinemas

Nayyi Navelli will release worldwide in cinemas on 16 October, The Indian Express reported. The trailer follows a teaser that arrived three weeks earlier and now provides a fuller look at Mohini's transformation from a new bride facing suspicion to the central figure in a mythologically framed battle.

The trailer's progression also clarifies the film's balance of tones. Its opening is rooted in family interactions and comic suspicion around Mohini, before the story moves into supernatural revelations and a larger confrontation involving a demon king, Ravana and Dussehra.

For Gautam, the release follows her recent National Film Award recognition and her 2025 film Haq. For Mohan, it marks his first Bollywood outing after a career that includes several Tamil films and a directing break of more than seven years.

Frequently asked questions

When will Nayyi Navelli release?

Nayyi Navelli is scheduled to release in cinemas worldwide on 16 October, according to The Indian Express. The trailer has now been released after a teaser that was unveiled three weeks earlier, giving a fuller look at Yami Gautam's character Mohini and the film's supernatural conflict.

What is Nayyi Navelli about?

The Indian Express describes Nayyi Navelli as a fantasy comedy starring Yami Gautam as Mohini, a woman labelled a "daayan". The trailer begins with her entering her in-laws' home after marriage, shows her winning over the family and then shifts into her battle against a demon king.

What is the Ravana connection in Nayyi Navelli?

The trailer links its supernatural conflict to Ravana and Dussehra. According to The Indian Express, one line refers to a demon from the Treta Yuga as Ravana, while the unseen villain threatens to take away Dussehra and declares that Ravana will rule over the entire universe.

Who is directing Nayyi Navelli?

Nayyi Navelli is directed by Balaji Mohan. The Indian Express reported that it is the Tamil filmmaker's first Bollywood film and his return to directing after more than seven years. His previous credits include Kadhalil Sodhappuvadhu Yeppadi, Vaayai Moodi Pesavum, Maari and Maari 2.