In a market where horror-comedy dominates box office success, launching a pure horror film demanded a strategic expansion of both audience and universe. With MAA, we set out to grow the horror fanbase by blending supernatural fear with the emotional force of maternal strength anchored in the idea “End credit goes to MAA.” 

The campaign strategically inducted MAA into a larger supernatural arc by leveraging the Shaitaan universe, introducing R Madhavan at the trailer launch to instantly deepen credibility and intrigue among horror loyalists. To broaden appeal beyond core horror audiences, we reframed the narrative around faith, belief, and motherhood—most powerfully by replacing surnames with mothers’ names in the film credits, a first in Indian cinema. 

To amplify emotional resonance, icons like Kajol and Usha Uthup came together during the song launch to celebrate maternal strength. For hardcore horror fans, immersive fear-first experiences were rolled out through paranormal-themed podcasts, terror train takeovers, and atmospheric digital storytelling that visualised a formless evil using AI-led narratives. 

By oscillating between fear and faith, the campaign positioned MAA as more than just a horror release it became an emotionally charged universe where belief stands as the ultimate weapon against evil, expanding the genre’s appeal and bringing pure horror back into mainstream cultural conversation.