Bhoot apartment remains vacant even after 23 years, reveals Ram Gopal Varma: ‘Nobody wants to stay there’

AlthoughRam Gopal Varmais best known for his work in the gangster and crime drama genres, the filmmaker has also played a key role in giving Indian horror cinema a facelift.

From Raat (1992), Kaun (1999), and Bhoot (2003) to Darna Mana Hai (2003), Darna Zaroori Hai (2006), and Phoonk (2008), he has crafted several horror movies that have achieved iconic status and influenced many filmmakers.

While it’s impossible to pick his best movie in the genre thus far,Bhootenjoys a significant fanbase.

Featuring Ajay Devgn, Urmila Matondkar, Nana Patekar, Rekha, Tanuja, and Fardeen Khan in key roles, it stands out from typical Indian horror films of the era for being set in the bustling city ofMumbai, unlike others set against backdrops of nowhere.

The film revolves around a married couple who move into a flat haunted by a spirit and the events that follow.

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While Bhoot has since been hailed as one of the best Hindi horror movies, Varma recently revealed that the apartment where the movie was shot remains vacant even now, as it gained a reputation after the film, and many people reportedly hesitate to rent it.

“I completed the film in just 30 days, as I had shot a bulk of the film in one apartment.

I want to tell you an interesting titbit.

The film was shot in 2002.

It’s been more than 20 years, and even today, that flat is still vacant!

It became quite famous after the film was released, and nobody wants to stay in that apartment.

It’s in the Lokhandwala Complex,” he said at the recently concluded Red Lorry Festival.

Regarding his casting choices, Varma noted, “I decided to cast Urmila in the role because of one expression she did in another completely different film of mine.

The expression in the ‘Hai Rama’ song fromRangeelastruck so strongly in my head, like when she is wearing a red dress and looking intensely at Jackie Shroff.

That close-up is what actually convinced me she could pull off this role in Bhoot.”
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