Cult (2026 film)

Cult
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Anil Kumar
Written by	Jadesh K Hampi
Produced by	K. S. Suraj Gowda K. V. Sathyaprakash
Starring	Zaid Khan Rachita Ram Malaika Vasupal
Cinematography	Jagadish Wali
Edited by	K. M. Prakash
Music by	Arjun Janya
Production companies	Loki Cinemas KVN Productions
Release date	23 January 2026 (2026-01-23)
Country	India
Language	Kannada

Cult is an upcoming 2026 Indian Kannada-language action-drama film written and directed by Anil Kumar, ^[1] and produced by Loki Cinemas in association with KVN Productions. ^[2] It features Zaid Khan, Rachita Ram and Malaika Vasupal in the lead roles. ^[3] Cinematography is by Jagadish Wali, editing by K. M. Prakash, and music composed by Arjun Janya.

The film was officially announced in April 2024 and the pre-production phase and casting began thereafter. ^[4] It is scheduled to release on 23 January 2026. ^[5]

Premises

Cult is a romance‑drama with action elements. Story briefs indicate that Madhava and Geetha fall in love while studying in their village; as they shift to different cities for higher education, Geetha moves on, leaving Madhava heartbroken. Ithi later enters Madhava's life and helps him heal, and a new romance blossoms.

Cast

• Zaid Khan as Madhava
• Rachita Ram as Ithi
• Malaika Vasupal as Geetha
• Rangayana Raghu
• Achyuth Kumar
• Kishan Bilagali

Production

Development and announcement

After his debut in Banaras (2022), Zaid Khan's second lead feature was announced as Cult, to be written and directed by Anil Kumar. Trade coverage and a Times Now report noted the project's inaugural ceremony in Bengaluru in September 2024, confirming Rachita Ram and Malaika Vasupal as co‑leads and KVN Productions’ association as presenter and support partner.

Filming

Director Anil Kumar stated that principal photography travelled across Karnataka, with song picturizations spanning Udupi, Mangaluru, Srirangapatna, Chitradurga, and the Vani Vilasa Sagar dam for the first single. Coverage during 2025 indicated that filming had wrapped and the project had moved into post‑production by September–October 2025.

Music

The soundtrack and background score is composed by Arjun Janya, with lyrics contributed by Anil Kumar and others. The first single, “Ayyo Shivane”, was released on 10 September 2025 across major streaming platforms and Anand Audio's official YouTube channel. ^[6] The single, written by director Anil Kumar and sung by Jaskaran Singh and Prithvi Bhatt, was released during the film's promotions in 2025.

Track listing

No.	Title	Lyrics	Singer(s)	Length
1.	"Ayyo Shivane"	Anil Kumar	Jaskaran Singh, Prithwi Bhat	4:32
2.	"Bloody Love"	Anil Kumar	Chandan Shetty	4:20
3.	"Hrudayavu Kelade"	Anil Kumar	Darshan Melavanki, Lahari Mahesh	4:40
4.	"Pathos song"	Anil Kumar Nishan Rai (English lyrics)	Nishan Rai	5:41

Marketing

A birthday “glimpse” video and early looks were rolled out in 2025, followed by the official trailer launch on 17 January 2026 across Kannada media and YouTube channels. ^[7] Media reports emphasised the film's “heartbroken lover” motif and mass‑romance positioning in its trailer cut. ^[8]

References

1. "Anil Kumar: Cult is designed for a new generation". Cinema Express. 13 September 2025.
2. "KVN Productions presents Zaid Khan's 'Cult'". The New Indian Express. 8 February 2025.
3. "Malaika Vasupal joins the cast of Cult". The New Indian Express. 5 September 2024.
4. "Zaid Khan's next titled Cult; First-look poster out". The New Indian Express. 11 April 2024.
5. "Cult gears up for a grand release in January, 2026". The New Indian Express. 7 October 2025.
6. "Zaid Khan's Cult set to drop its first song Ayyo Shivane". Cinema Express. 6 September 2025.
7. "'Cult' trailer unveiled, Zaid Khan in intense avatar". Daijiworld. 18 January 2026.
8. "cult movie: ಭಗ್ನ ಪ್ರೇಮಿಯ ಸುಟ್ಟ ಹೃದಯ! ಸದ್ದು ಮಾಡುತ್ತಿದೆ ಕಲ್ಟ್‌ ಟ್ರೇಲರ್‌". Udayavani (in Kannada). 18 January 2026.

External links

• Cult at IMDb