Umesh Bist

Umesh Bist is a screenwriter and director in the Indian film industry, primarily known for his work in Hindi cinema. He gained significant recognition for writing and directing the 2022 film 'Bhediya', a horror-comedy starring Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon. The film, produced by Maddock Films, was noted for its blend of genre elements, visual effects, and underlying social commentary on environmental conservation and urbanization. His collaboration with producer Dinesh Vijan and the Maddock Films team marked him as a filmmaker working within a popular, contemporary studio framework that often mixes entertainment with thematic substance. Prior to 'Bhediya', Bist worked as an assistant director on films like 'Go Goa Gone' (2013) and 'Happy Ending' (2014), learning the craft within the comedy and genre spaces. His career trajectory illustrates a path from behind-the-scenes roles to a director with a distinct, effects-driven vision. His contribution lies in navigating the commercial horror-comedy genre, which has a limited but growing tradition in mainstream Bollywood, and attempting to scale it with high production values and star power. The technical execution and box office performance of 'Bhediya' demonstrated an ambition to expand the scope of such genres within India's major film industry. His work represents a newer wave of directors who are leveraging advancements in CGI and prosthetic makeup to tell stories that were previously difficult to mount convincingly in Indian cinema. While his filmography is currently concise, his early major project has positioned him as a filmmaker to watch in the space of genre-based storytelling.