(From left) Actress Yên Đan, making her feature film debut, beauty queen Tiểu Vy, actor Quốc Trường, director Đinh Tuấn Vũ and composer Nguyễn Văn Chung. — Photo courtesy of the film crew

HÀ NỘI — The cast and crew of Vietnamese psychological drama Ốc Mượn Hồn (The Borrowed Shell) drew crowds and celebrities to a star-studded premiere in Hà Nội on May 28, following the film’s debut in HCM City two days prior.

Directed by Đinh Tuấn Vũ, the film stars Quốc Trường, Tiểu Vy, Lương Gia Huy, Anh Phạm and Yên Đan, alongside composer Nguyễn Văn Chung, who makes his acting debut in the project.

The film centres on a tangled web of relationships involving love, betrayal and emotional manipulation set against the backdrop of the entertainment industry. Rather than following a conventional 'wife vs. mistress' storyline, The Borrowed Shell delves deeper into the psychological wounds, hidden desires and personal insecurities behind each character’s actions.

Using the metaphor of a 'borrowed shell', the story explores how people often hide behind carefully constructed identities to protect themselves or conceal darker truths. Each character appears to be living someone else’s version of happiness, while quietly struggling with loneliness, guilt and emotional emptiness beneath the surface.

Through emotionally charged interactions and layered storytelling, the director invites audiences to question whether people are truly living as themselves, or merely borrowing a temporary 'shell' to survive in modern society.

Rather than presenting clear heroes or villains, the film focuses on flawed individuals navigating emotional consequences and personal desires, leaving audiences to form their own judgments. — Photo courtesy of Galaxy Studio

Audience reactions after the screening suggested that the film’s strongest impact came not from plot twists, but from its morally ambiguous relationships and psychological tension. Several viewers and artists praised the film’s layered storytelling and emotional complexity.

Veteran actress Chiều Xuân described the film as 'deeply emotional', while singer Tùng Dương commended its screenplay and performances, particularly those of Quốc Trường and Nguyễn Văn Chung.

Director Đinh Tuấn Vũ revealed that he was initially uncertain about casting composer Nguyễn Văn Chung, who had never acted before, but later found the musician perfectly suited for the role.

"His performance and presence matched exactly what I imagined for the character," the director said at the event.

Nguyễn Văn Chung said he joined the project out of curiosity and a desire to better understand actors’ emotional experiences, hoping it would inspire his future song writing.

Beauty queen Tiểu Vy also received positive feedback for her performance, with audiences noting her visible growth as an actress. In the film, she portrays a woman caught in a complicated emotional relationship where love, betrayal and personal trauma become increasingly blurred.

Meanwhile, Quốc Trường joked during the press interaction that he would 'never cheat in real life like his character does in the film'.

The star-studded premiere in Hà Nội of The Borrowed Shell. — Photo courtesy of the film crew

The psychological drama explores toxic relationships, infidelity and emotional manipulation through the metaphor of a 'borrowed shell', suggesting that each character hides behind a carefully constructed identity in order to survive.

Produced as one of this summer’s major commercial releases, The Borrowed Shell combines relationship drama with suspense and social commentary, while also exploring the hidden pressures beneath glamorous public personas.

Alongside the lead cast, the film also features performances by emerging actors including Xuân An, Phi Long and Trâm Ngô, as well as appearances by actor Anh Đức.

With its mix of psychological tension, emotionally conflicted characters and themes of identity and desire, the film has quickly become a topic of discussion on Vietnamese social media following its premieres in both Hà Nội and HCM City. — VNS