Sudhanshu Rai’s ‘Baida’ to mark the big screen debut of fictional character Dr Shekhawat

Even as the world of Indian fiction is filled with unforgettable characters, there are only a handful like Detective Boomrah, Byomkesh Bakshi and Feluda that have made it to the silver screen. Joining the league of extraordinary fictional characters appearing on the silver screen in 2025 is Dr Shekhawat, a larger-than-life character conceived by Sudhanshu Rai, actor, filmmaker and storyteller for sci-fi, detective, thriller and horror stories.

Baida, a sci-fi supernatural film releasing in theatres in March, will mark the on-screen debut of Dr Shekhawat, who is already popular across FM Radio, YouTube and other audio platforms. Baida has been directed by Puneet Sharma, whose previous outing Chintaa Mani had received rave reviews.

Actor Tarun Khanna, who became a household name with the portrayal of Mahadev, will be seen essaying the role of Dr Shekhawat. When the protagonist of the story, a former spy, gets entrapped inside the dark world of a man, who has defied the cycle of time and death, bearing sinister abilities, he looks up to Dr Shekhawat to seek answers that delve into the supernatural space. The perfect combination of brain and brawn, Dr Shekhawat as a character is also absolutely charismatic and has great physical prowess.

Speaking about the role, Tarun said, “Baida is a very special film for me, especially because of its out-of-the-box concept and the character of Dr Shekhawat that I play. While it is drastically different from the roles I have portrayed till now, the character is already popular among the audience. Dr Shekhawat is immensely intelligent, exudes a captivating charm, and possesses a deep understanding of the supernatural and the parallel world. He appears on the screen with a starry and intriguing set up that is beyond the understanding of any normal human being. Bringing the larger-than-life Dr Shekhawat to life was indeed a challenge and I hope the audience will be awed by what they see in Baida.”

Interestingly, the character has helped Detective Boomrah solve many cases from the realms of supernatural and parallel world in many of Sudhanshu's most popular stories. Dr Shekhawat is a man who deciphers event and phenomena that are beyond the understanding of any normal human.

His character is pivotal in unravelling the mystery of illusions that forms the plot of Baida, wherein the protagonist encounters many characters and unexpected turn of events shrouded in mystery. It is the first-of-its-kind sci-fi supernatural thriller film set in the Hindi heartland of India.

The film starring Sudhanshu Rai, along with other actors including Tarun Khanna as Dr Shekhawat, Chaipatti’s Shobhit Sujay, Detective Boomrah’s Manisha Rai, Hiten Tejwani, Sourabh Raaj Jain, Akhlaq Ahmad Azad and Pradeep Kabra, has been edited by Kantara-fame Pratheek Shetty. The first motion drop of Baida is expected this month.

Interestingly, Dr Shekhawat’s on screen debut follows the appearance of Sudhanshu’s most popular fictional character, Detective Boomrah, in a web series with the same name. The series featured the case of a missing man, who appears in a locked heritage hotel room out of nowhere and vanishes after jumping from the building’s terrace.