Jul 09, 2026 1:21pm IST
Why India Got ‘Obsession’ but Missed ‘Leviticus’
Horror has always been a crowd puller. But ‘Obsession’, an indie horror film from 26-year-old Curry Barker, which has become a bigger success in India than many recent local releases, has cemented an unwavering faith in the genre. You’d think this would pave the way for more indie horrors, such as “Backrooms,” to secure easy India releases. But then enters the curious case of “Leviticus,” a queer supernatural romance and the newest horror phenomenon after “Obsession,” which has been released globally but eludes India.
What is Leviticus about?
“Leviticus” is a coming-of-age queer supernatural horror romance film from Australian filmmaker Adrian Chiarella. It stars Joe Bird and Stacy Clausen in lead roles, with Jeremy Blewitt and Mia Wasikowska in supporting roles, the latter also serving as executive producer.
The film follows two teenagers, Naim (Bird) and Ryan (Clausen), in a small, religious town in Victoria, Australia, who are in a same-sex relationship. Outed due to a series of circumstances, they are forced to undergo a religious conversion ritual conducted by a “deliverance healer.” It makes them victims of a monstrous entity that manifests itself physically as the person they love. Since the entity only attacks them when they are alone, Naim and Ryan are repeatedly pushed together, constantly paranoid about the version of the other before them.
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The film’s title is a nod to the Book of Leviticus in the Bible, which has been cited by orthodox Christians as a testament to the divine prohibition of homosexuality. “Leviticus” explores themes of religious indoctrination to the point where violence is normalized to uphold belief, no matter the cost. The film’s ‘monster’ symbolizes the psychological damage, isolation and paranoia inflicted by conversion therapy, religious persecution and generational trauma. And the film’s ultimate evil isn’t a person or an institution but the fear and guilt that many LGBTQ+ individuals continue to live with, even to this day.
“Leviticus” premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January this year to a great response and was immediately acquired by the American indie producer and distributor Neon for international distribution. After overtaking “Obsession” for a brief period after its theatrical release on June 19, “Leviticus” currently stands at a Rotten Tomatoes score of 92%, only two points below “Obsession,” which is the highest-ranked horror film of 2026 so far.
Why has Leviticus not been released in India?
Distributed by Neon, “Leviticus” is likely to receive a staggered theatrical release in global markets. However, there’s no announcement yet from distributors like PVR INOX Pictures or Impact Films, which usually bring these indie titles to a theatrical release in India.
The expectation isn’t exactly a pipe dream, considering several indie horror titles have found a theatrical release in India in the past few years: From A24’s “Talk to Me”, the feature debut of Australian filmmaker duo Danny and Michael Philippou to Neon’s “Longlegs”, from Osgood Perkins and starring Nicolas Cage and, more recently, A24’s “Backrooms,” from Kane Parsons, who was 20 years old when he made the film.
However, if not theatrical, as per Neon’s usual pattern of digital releases, “Leviticus” can be expected to arrive on digital for rentals by the end of August and on subscription streaming platforms a little after that. And yet, there’s still one major caveat.
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Could censorship be a roadblock?
Reddit fan forums are full of fans speculating on whether the film will even find an Indian release, since the obvious cannot be ignored. The film is a queer horror with a strong critique of religion and is rated R in the United States. It has been reported that sexual scenes are not too graphic or prolonged, but the film does have strong profane language, bloody violence and substance use, all things that the Indian censor board might want to censor.
While there have been instances of series like “Heated Rivalry” taking a while to secure a streaming release in India, there have also been instances like Honey Trehan’s “Satluj,” which faced issues with CBFC certification, was released uncut on ZEE5 and eventually taken down by the streamer within a day of its release over allegedly continuing complications.
For any filmmaker who does not want to dilute the essence and impact of their work of art, these are deal-breaker decisions. Ultimately, the loss is to the film lover, who might be deprived of one of the five highest-rated horror films of 2026 so far.
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